| Game Preview: Tulane | Date: Jan. 3, 2000 |
| Site: Freedom Hall | Records: U of L: 7-3, Tulane: 10-1 |
|
| The main story line heading into U of L's conference opener is how the Cards will respond after such a long time away from the court. Both Christmas and the 1900's have come and gone since the Cards outplayed North Carolina on Dec. 23; certainly some rust is expected after such a long time off. Tulane, on the other hand, defeated SMU 75-70 just four days ago on New Year's Eve. |
| The Green Wave are riding an impressive 10-1 start to the season, with their only loss coming at Maryland 78-70 back on Nov. 19. Last year the Cardinals finished 11-5 in conference play, and with their first two conference games at home this year, it is imperative that U of L open up C-USA play on the right foot. Tulane is led in scoring by 6-7 forward Sterling Davis, who is averaging 15.3 points a game heading into Monday's game. |
This is the 20th consecutive season U of L and Tulane have played. This is Tulane's longest winning streak since January 1997; this is the first time in school history the Green Wave have had ten wins heading into January. Only two of Tulane's 11 opponents thus far have scored over 70 points, and Tulane's opponents are shooting only 39.2% from the field.
 |
| Game Summary: Tulane | Score: Louisville 81, Tulane 70 |
| Leading Scorers: U of L: Tony Williams (22) Tulane: Morris Jordan (20) |
|
| It was a bizarre night at Freedom Hall. Returning to action after an incredibly long layoff, U of L successfully opened up conference play with an 81-70 win against the Green Wave. Tony Williams led U of L with 22 points and 11 rebounds (he was 4-9 from three-point range and also had five steals), while Marques Maybin pitched in with 17 points with another impressive night on the boards, collecting seven. Also in double figures for the Cards was Nate Johnson with 14, 12 of them in the first half, and Reece Gaines with 11 points |
| After committing only six turnovers in their last effort against UNC, U of L was hardly as careful with the ball tonight. The rust showed as U of L gave the ball away 20 times, thankfully though they were able to force Tulane into 20 turnovers as well. The turnover numbers might have been higher had not the officials often awarded teams the ball back after slipping on the Freedom Hall court, which was wet from condensation from the ice surface beneath the court. What appeared like sloppy play was actually almost dangerous playing conditions. Don't they have climate control in Freedom Hall, despite warmer than average temperatures outside? |
| Although Louisville held their biggest lead at 17 points about midway through the second half, Tulane cut the lead to seven at 74-67 with 3:23 remaining. Reece Gaines hit a three after a timeout to push the lead back to 10, and the Tulane charge was over. It was the Cards' defense that pulled them through, as they blocked nine shots and scored 25 points off of 20 Green Wave turnovers. The Cards also held Tulane to 43% shooting and held leading scorer Sterling Davis to only seven points. Tulane went on an 11-0 run to pull within two with 7:21 left in the first half, but a 10-0 Louisville run gave the Cards an 11-point halftime lead at 43-32. |
|
| Game Preview: Utah | Date: Jan. 6, 2000 |
| Site: Freedom Hall | Records: U of L: 8-3, Utah: 11-2 |
|
| For the second time in four games U of L faces off vs. a Top 20 opponent, this time against the 18th-ranked Utah Utes who currently are on a nine-game winning streak. Utah has been thriving since starting center Hanno Mattola has returned from injury; in his first five games back he has led the team in scoring at 24 ppg (he is shooting an unbelievable 9-14 from three-point range). While Brendan Haywood of UNC posed a formidable frontcourt dilemma for the Cards, it's safe to say that U of L hasn't faced a team with as strong a frontcourt as Utah all season. |
| The Cards have won their last three games and are perfect thus far at Freedom Hall at 6-0. It will take a tantamount effort for U of L to keep that perfect record alive against Utah. U of L is led in scoring by Tony Williams at 17.7 points a game while Nate Johnson is close behind at 17.1 points a game. It's great for the Cards to be getting such solid production out of their senior forwards while the young backcourt gains experience in growing into its own. |
| The game looks to be all about tempo. Louisville will look to run and pressure Utah with intense, in-your-face defense, while Utah will try to draw U of L into a halfcourt game and try to be more methodical on the offensive end in order to take advantage of their solid frontline of Mattola, Nate Althoff and others. Another important factor for the Cards will be the performance of its bench, who will have to maintain the intensity level on the defensive end when spelling the starters.
|
| Game Summary: Utah | Score: Louisville 75, Utah 55 |
| Leading Scorers: U of L: Nate Johnson (19) Utah: Hanno Mattola (27) |
|
| What a night! Another Top 20 opponent, another demolition by the hands of the Cards. At some point U of L will have to prove its mettle on the road, but for now, with the realization of what it can do with 100% effort for a full 40-minute game, U of L is looking downright awesome. From the opening tip U of L showed how quickness and athleticism can overcome size, forcing Utah into 17 turnovers and leading almost the entire game. |
| Although Utah took the lead at 2-0 with the first basket of the game, U of L started with the defensive pressure right off the bat, grabbed a quick 12-4 lead and never looked back. People wondered if the Cards could repeat the performance they put out vs. North Carolina; the answer was a resounding yes and then some. In the first half alone, after which the Cards took a commanding 40-18 lead, U of L allowed Utah only three defensive rebounds and held them to an incredible 6-23 shooting from the field. This from a team among the nation's leaders in field goal percentage. The Cards, meanwhile, shot 56.6% for the half. |
| With 10:24 left in the first half, U of L led 17-6, forcing Utah coach Rick Majerus to take three of his timeouts in the first 11:43, when U of L led 21-8. After the third timeout, the Utes committed a turnover, setting up a Tony Williams three-pointer that made the bulge 24-8. Ahead 30-18 with 3:23 left in the opening period, U of L went on a 10-0 run to end the half, with six of those points coming from reserve Kevin Smiley, who finished one point below his career-high with nine. |
| The second half was more of the same. Louisville hit nine of its first 13 shots to take a 59-32 lead with 11:13 remaining. Louisville led by as many as 30 with 6:57 remaining, but a 13-3 Utah run cut the lead to 20 by game's end. Louisville was led by Nate Johnson's 19 points on 9-13 shooting, along with 12 points from Tony Wiliams. Another highlight for U of L was the 10 points from Tobiah Hopper, who hit the first two three-pointers of his U of L career. Utah was led by Hanno Mattola's 27 points, 20 of which came in the second half and the majority of those after the game was decided. There was a record amount of NBA scouts on hand checking out Mattola--hopefully they got a nice look at Nate Johnson and Tony Williams as well.
|
|
| Game Preview: S. Mississippi | Date: Jan. 8, 2000 |
| Site: Freedom Hall | Records: U of L: 9-3, 1-0; S. Mississippi: 9-2, 1-0 |
|
| Louisville looks to extend its four-game win streak and perfect 7-0 home record and pick up its second conference win of the season against Southern Mississippi. The Golden Eagles, like the Cards, are 1-0 so far in C-USA action; they defeated Houston 82-76 last Wednesday. The Golden Eagles' only losses of the season so far have come at Louisiana Monroe 77-63 (?) and at Auburn 56-50. USM is led by forward David Wall, a transfer from Carl Albert State College in Oklahom, at 16.3 points a game and 6-0 guard Mel Cauthen with 10.9 ppg. Cauthen also has 32 assists to 21 turnovers, and leads the team in free throw shooting. |
| The Cards are seeking revenge from last year's loss at USM, a heartbreaker in the last game of the regular season that prevented Louisville from attaining a tie for the conference championship. But gone is guard Neil Reed, who hit the last-second shot in that 59-58 Cardinal loss. A win today of USM will most likely return the Cards to the Top 25.
|
| The Cards have actually lost two straight to Southern Miss, last year's game plus in 1998 in also U of L's last regular season game. So far this season, Southern Miss has held opponents to 36.7% field goal shooting and only 58.7 points a game.
|
| Game Summary: S. Mississippi | Score: Louisville 69, S. Mississippi 67 |
| Leading Scorers: U of L: Marques Maybin (16) Southern Mississippi: David Wall (31) |
|
| After two tough games in four days against team with records of 10-1 and 11-2, a third game two days later against a 10-2 was bound to be tough for a drained Cardinal team. Especially against a team that has defeated U of L each of the last two years. But the bench provided a necessary lift, highlighted by nine points from Rashad Brooks, and Reece Gaines and Marques Maybin hooked for the game-winning basket with only five seconds left to give the Cards a 69-67 victory and a perfect 2-0 C-USA record. |
| Southern Miss, who was holding opponents to less than 60 points a game, kept up its defensive pressure to limit the Cards to 14 points under its league-leading 83 points a game. As the game started, it looked like U of L would be lucky to score that many. Louisville missed 10 of its first 11 shots, but trailed only 8-6 with 12:22 left in the first half. The Cards then went on their strongest streak of the game, hitting on 12 of its next 16 shots to take its biggest lead of the game at 38-24 with 2:28 left in the first half. A 9-3 Southern Miss run, including a three-pointer at the buzzer, left the Cards with a 41-33 halftime lead. |
| Louisville was in control for the majority of the second period, and held a 10-point lead with 8:56 left. But with the Cards leading 61-53, USM's David Wall, who led all scorers with 31 points on 6-10 three-point shooting, scored seven straight points to pull Southern Miss within one with 4:06 left. But Marques Maybin, who had eight points at that point after scoring only two against Utah last Thursday, scored the next and final eight points for U of L. It started with an eight-foot jump shot, then continued with a dunk off an alley-oop from Tony Williams giving U of L a 67-61 lead with 1:56 left. But Southern Miss refused to die, scoring the next six points and tying the game with 34.8 seconds left on a three-pointer from Mel Cauthen. The Cards took a timeout with 26 seconds left, and Coach Denny Crum called a play for Reece Gaines, who finished with a tie for his season-high with 12 points, to drive the lane then dish to either Williams or Maybin. He found Maybin alone on the right baseline, and Maybin broke the tie with a lay-in with only five seconds left. USM's Earl Flowers then drove the length of the court, but was unable to get a shot off, sending U of L to its fifth straight win. |
| U of L shot only 43% for the game, but forced 21 Southern Miss turnovers that led to 24 Cardinal points. U of L also shot a scorching 18-22 from the free throw line. Although Southern Miss outrebounded U of L 35-28, the Cards' bench was the difference in the game, outscoring the USM bench 22-12. U of L also got 11 points from Tony Williams, while Flowers of Southern Miss finished with 10. After the game, Maybin required six stitches in his lip.The Cards will have a day off before preparing for Wednesday's conference game at UAB.
|
|
| Game Preview: UAB | Date: Jan. 12, 2000 |
| Site: Birmingham, AL | Records: U of L: 10-3, 2-0; UAB: 7-5, 0-1 |
|
| After a five-game homestand dating back to Dec. 23, Louisville finally takes its show on the road. Its last road game, of course, was the 30-point drubbing they suffered at the hands of Kentucky. The Cards made the most out of their homestand, winning five straight including two conference wins and two wins over Top 25 teams. And speaking of the Top 25, Louisville is ranked for the first time since a one-week stint last season, just edging into the AP poll at #25. It's the Cards' first road conference game of the season, which regardless of the opponent can always be tough. |
| UAB is 7-5 so far this season, and they are coming off their first conference game of the year, an 88-69 pounding at the hands of South Florida. UAB does have an impressive win thus far over Fresno State, but also suffered embarrassing losses against Holy Cross and a 23-point beating against Princeton. The Blazers have a balanced scoring attack, with four starters in double-figures. They are led by Eric Holmes at 12.5 a game, while Mark Kimbrough adds 11.3 ppg and Myron Ransom, who leads the team in rebounding, at 11.2 ppg. One bit of good news for the Cards: they found out that all of their players are officially academically eligible for the second semester, so the whole team will be making the trip to Birmingham. The two teams last met in last year's C-USA tournament, with U of L winning that game 77-68. |
| The battle for leading scorer for U of L now belongs to Tony Williams, who is just above Nate Johnson at 16.8 vs. Nate's 16.4 a a game. Marques Maybin is the other Card averaging in double-figures with 14.9 points a game. At 7.5 rebounds a game, Dion Edward leads the team in that category, while point guard Reece Gaines continues to strive for a balanced assist-to-turnover ratio; heading into the UAB game he has 39 assists compared to 37 turnovers though he also has 27 steals. Nate Johnson leads the team in steals with 28.
|
| Game Summary: UAB | Score: UAB 56, Louisville 50 |
| Leading Scorers: U of L: Reece Gaines (15) UAB: Myron Ransom (22) |
|
| Just when you thought it was too good to be true lately for the University of Louisville Cardinals, it was. U of L remains winless on their opponent's home floor, losing to conference foe UAB in a low-scoring affair 56-50. The Cards have now lost at VCU, Kentucky and UAB along with their loss on a neutral floor to Xavier in the Great Alaska Shootout. This will obviously have to be remedied, since the C-USA and NCAA tournaments aren't played in Freedom Hall. |
| With the exception of point guard Reece Gaines, who scored a career-high 15 points on 4-8 field goal shooting and 6-7 free throw shooting with six rebounds to boot, it was a total team effort in the loss. Even Gaines contributed, committing four of U of L's 26 turnovers. Some other statistical blights were Nate Johnson's six points on 1-12 shooting along with five turnovers, Tony Williams' 10 points on 3-13 shooting, 1-8 from three-point range, and Dion Edward's three points along with four turnovers. About the only thing the Cards did right in the game was shoot free throws, finishing 14-17 from the line. From the field, however, they wound up 17-56 for 30.4%. |
| Louisville led by as many as nine in the first half, but was in trouble when they led by only one at the break, 27-26. The Blazers opened the second half with 7-0 run to take the lead for good. Myron Ransom, who led all scorers with 22, scored six of those seven points in the run, giving UAB a 34-27 lead with 15:21 to play. U of L missed their first nine shots from the field in the second half, scoring on only five free throws for the first eight minutes of the period. Is UAB UK or something? A free throw by Gaines cut the lead to 38-37 at the 11:14 mark, but a subsequent 13-4 Blazer run put the game away. A layup by Eric Holmes gave UAB a 51-41 edge with 4:38 to play, essentially icing the game. Said Coach Denny Crum in the Associated Press article, "I've seen seventh and eighth grade girls shoot better than that."
|
|
| Game Preview: Marquette | Date: Jan. 15, 2000 |
| Site: Milwaukee, WI | Records: U of L: 10-4, 2-1; Marquette: 9-5, 2-1 |
|
| The floor fell out beneath the Cards last Wednesday, as they reverted back to their old ways, didn't show up to play and lost and lost ugly at UAB. Now they must continue to battle thier psychological road handicap in attempting for the fourth time to win a game on an opponent's home floor. Making the task even tougher is facing a Marquette squad that is coming off an impressive road victory itself, defeating 21st-ranked DePaul in Chicago in their last outing. |
| The game continues what has been a contentious series since the Cards and Marquette have become conference foes, though former coach Mike Deane, who caused much of the tensions between the two schools with his on-court celebration at Freedom Hall in a last-second win a few years ago, has departed and been replaced by former Michigan State assistant Tom Crean. A loss vs. the Golden Eagles will put U of L in a precarious situation in the conference rankings, and leave them with a terrible stigma of being unable to win on the road. The win vs. DePaul was Marquette's most impressive of the year so far, though they also have victories against St. Louis and Xavier. Marquette has lost to some fine competition, however, dropping games at Wisconsin, at Minnesota and against Dayton. |
| Marquette is led in scoring by Brian Wardle, who not only is still at Marquette but even has one more year of eligibility. He's averaging 16.3 ppg while John Cliff is scoring 13.9 a game. Heading into the game Marquette is last in the league in scoring at only 64.0 points a game, while U of L is third in the league with an 80.2 average. Imagine what that number would be minus the 46 point effort against UK and the 50 points against UAB. To counter-balance its lack of production Marquette is third in the league in team defense, allowing only 60.3 ppg while the Cards are seventh in giving up 69.6 points a game. Another key statistical difference between the two teams in in turovers: the Cards lead C-USA in turnover margin with a +7.3 average while Marquette is dead last with a -3.0 average.
|
| Game Summary: Marquette | Score: Marquette 66, Louisville 64 (ot) |
| Leading Scorers: U of L: Reece Gaines (20) Marquette: Brian Wardle (17) |
|
| It was a topsy-turvy game that saw both the worst and the best of the Louisville Cardinals. Although U of L's shot didn't fall in the end, there were a lot of positives to be found in the overall disheartening and disappointing loss at Marquette. For the third time in their last seven games the Cards and Golden Eagles played an exciting, heart-pounding overtime game that unfortunately went the other way. |
| Statistically, Louisville played a sparkling game. They shot 50% from the field, committed only 13 turnovers and held Marquette to only 37.5% shooting. The game also saw point guard Reece Gaines score his second consecutive career-high with 20 points on 9-14 shooting to go along with four rebounds and five assists. Tobiah Hopper came off the bench and also pitched in a career-high, scoring 15 points on 6-7 shooting including 2-2 from three-point range, one that was a four-point play that sparked a Cardinal rally, the other coming with 6.7 seconds left in regulation that sent the game into overtime. But the most telling stat of all, the one that hurt the Cards, was Marquette's domination on the glass. The Golden Eagles outrebounded U of L 46-24, 22-5 on the offensive end where Marquette made a living on putbacks and second-chance points. Marquette was led in scoring by Brian Wardle's 17, but it was John Cliff, who finished with 12, that did the most damage in the extra period. |
| Overall, the Cards played a lousy first half, with Gaines keeping them in the game with 14 points. The Cards were outrebounded in the first period 25-11, and were lucky to be down only three at three break, 31-28. It was more of the same for most of the second half, and it looked real bleak when Marquette led 49-39 (their biggest lead of the game) with seven minutes left. But U of L went on a 13-4 run to pull closer. When John Cliff hit two free throws with 13.8 seconds left, Marquette led 55-52. Hopper then cooly drained a three-pointer from the buzzer, and Cliff missed a 15-footer at the buzzer that sent the game to the extra period. Tony Williams, who finished with 13 points, scored seven in the overtime, but U of L couldn't put the Golden Eagles away. Reece Gaines hit a layup to give U of L a 64-63 lead with 48 seconds left, but U of L's defense collapsed on Marquette's next possession as Cordell Henry dished to wide open Jon Harris for an easy layin. Gaines then missed a leaner with nine seconds left, and Cliff pulled down the huge rebound. After Cliff made one of two free throws, the Cards got the ball to Quentin Bailey for a last-second shot, but his three-point attempt missed badly. Marques Maybin sat the game out with the flu.
|
|
| Game Preview: DePaul | Date: Jan. 20, 2000 |
| Site: Freedom Hall | Records: U of L: 10-5, 2-2; DePaul: 12-4, 3-1 |
|
| The Cards look to snap a two-game conference losing streak while maintaining their perfect home record against No. 23 DePaul. It is a crucial C-USA game for U of L, which desparately needs a conference win to stay in the race in the tight and difficult American Division. |
| DePaul has played an admirably tough schedule thus far. Their sole conference loss was at home against Marquette, though the Blue Demons won their last outing against Houston 77-68 last Sunday. Their other losses include a four-point defeat at Texas, a one-point overtime loss at Duke and a thrashing at UCLA. Not surprisingly, DePaul is led by all-conference player and All-America candidate Quentin Richardson, who in his sophomore season is averaging 19.6 points and 9.9 rebounds a game. The Blue Demons are also led by Bobby Simmons at 13.4 points and 8.4 rebounds a game, while two other DePaul players, Paul McPherson and Steven Hunter, also average in double-figures in scoring. One area where U of L is in for a major test in on the glass. Against Marquette, U of L lost the game on the boards, being outrebounded 46-24. DePaul leads C-USA in rebounding with an average of 37.8 a game, while the Cards are second to last at only 33.7 a game. Keeping Richardson and Simmons in check on the boards, particularly on the offensive end, could be U of L's greatest challenge in this game. |
| The Cards are healthy for the DePaul game, so look for guard Marques Maybin to return to the lineup and Quentin Bailey to be at full-strength as well. Both spent last Saturday night in the hospital to faciliate their recovery from the flu. The Cards have won the last six meetings in the series, so don't be surprised if DePaul comes out fired up to end that streak in front of a national TV audience.
|
| Game Summary: DePaul | Score: Louisville 72, DePaul 59 |
| Leading Scorers: U of L: Tony Williams (18) DePaul: Bobby Simmons (18) |
|
| The Cards' magic at home continued, as U of L won its third game over a ranked opponent in Freedom Hall this year. The sluggishness of the losses against UAB and Marquette disappeared as the Cardinals performed one of their best defensive efforts of the season. Marques Maybin returned from the flu to score 17 points on 3-4 three-point shooting, while the Cards once again got a much needed lift of the bench from reserves Quintin Bailey, Kevin Smiley, Tobiah Hopper and Caleb Gervin. U of L shot a blistering 56% from the floor while limiting DePaul to only 41% shooting, including 3-14 on three-pointers. |
| U of L, on the other hand, shot 9-15 from behind the arc, highlighted by Maybin's 3-4 and Reece Gaines' 2-2. U of L also did a good job on Blue Demon superstar Quentin Richardson, who, although registering a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, was held seven points below his average and scored most of his points after the contest was decided. Tony Williams led the Cards with 18 points on 6-10 shooting from the field and a perfect 4-4 from the line. Reece Gaines added 11 while Dion Edward pulled down a team-high nine rebounds. Louisville was outrebounded yet again, this time 30-22. For DePaul, Bobby Simmons scored 18 points on 5-9 field goal shooting and 7-8 from the line, plus six rebounds. Nate Johnson has now scored eight or less points in four straight games. |
| The Cards got off to a rough start, trailing early on 10-2. But three-pointers pulled them back in the game. Trailing 19-15, Quentin Bailey scored seven points of a 13-2 run that produced a 28-21 lead with 4:14 left in the half. The Cards led at the half 34-30, at which point Richardson had only two points and Gervin, Smiley and Bailey had contributed 14 points. To start the second period, U of L went on another 13-2 run to open a 47-32 lead. DePaul responded with an 11-2 run of their own, but got no closer than 51-46 with 8:30 to play.
|
|
| Game Preview: UNC-Charlotte | Date: Jan. 22, 2000 |
| Site: Freedom Hall | Records: U of L: 11-5, 3-2; UNC-Charlotte: 9-8, 2-3 |
|
| The Cards face a tough challenge on Saturday afternoon vs. the 49ers. They must avoid what happend to them vs. Central Florida, and not overlook an opponent in preparation for its next game. Next Thursday's battle against Cincinnati won't be as meaningful unless the Cards can continue to bolster their conference record against UNC-Charlotte. The 49ers have been struggling this season, and lost their last outing 65-55 to Marquette. Still, U of L would do itself a tremendous disservice in not coming to play. Although they looked impressive in their win over DePaul, their performance was less than flawless in getting outrebounded 30-22 and committing 16 turnovers. |
| UNC-Charlotte is led by 6-4 sophomore guard Jobey Thomas, who is averaging 15.0 ppg, while 6-1 junior guard Diego Guevara is averaging 12.6 a game after starting the season with an injury. The 49ers have done a good job holding onto the ball, averaging only 14.5 turnovers a game which is second-best in the conference. The Cards are looking to avenge last year's loss to UNC-Charlotte in the C-USA tournament finals, which the 49ers won 68-59. The Cardinals' leading scorers are Tony Williams at 16.2, Marques Maybin at 14.6 and Nate Johnson at 14.5. Reece Gaines now has exactly the same number of turnovers as assists, while Dion Edward continues to lead U of L in rebounding at 7.1 a game, though Tony Williams is close behind at 6.1.
|
| Game Summary: UNC-Charlotte | Score: UNC-Charlotte 69, Louisville 59 |
| Leading Scorers: U of L: Tony Williams (15) UNC-Charlotte: Tremaine Gardiner (18) |
|
| The last team to have defeated U of L in Freedom Hall was UNC-Charlotte, who beat the Cards 58-49 on Jan. 30 1999. UNC-Charlotte also knocked off the Cards 68-59 in last year's C-USA Tournament finals. And the trend continued yesterday, with the 49ers sending the Cards to their third conference loss, their third loss in four games and snapping a perfect 9-0 Freedom Hall record so far this year with a 69-59 triumph. UNCC has now won three straight games in Freedom Hall, and four of their last five at Louisville. |
| The story of the game was UNC-Charlotte's three-point shooting. They hit eight of their first 12 three-pointers to build a 13-point lead in the first half, and never led by less than six the rest of the way. UNCC had hit on only 2-18 threes in their loss last Wednesday to Marquette, but completely turned it around against U of L, connecting on 14-25. Their 14 three-pointers tied a C-USA record. U of L, on the other hand, who had hit 9-15 from behind the arc in their win over DePaul last Thursday, hit only 6-22 three-pointers today. To make matters worse, the Cards were once again outrebounded, this time 34-29. UNC-Charlotte made more three-pointers than two-point field goals, and attempted more threes than two-point field goals. |
| Scorching the nets for UNCC was Diego Guevara, who hit 4-5 threes to finish with 16 points, Tremaine Gardiner, who hit 2-3 three-pointers and had a critical old-fashioned three-point play after U of L pulled within 62-54, and Dalonte Hill, who hit on 4-6 from three-point range. U of L was led by Tony Williams' 15 points though he shot only 6-18 from the field. Quintin Bailey had another solid game off the bench, adding 13 points while going 5-10 from the field, while Dion Edward has one of his best games of the season, scoring nine points, pulling down 11 rebounds and blocking two shots. For the game, U of L shot 38.7% from the field. Nate Johnson, who hit a scoring low with only four points, sprained his thumb in the second half although he returned after it was bandaged up.
|
|
| Game Preview: Cincinnati | Date: Jan. 27, 2000 |
| Site: Freedom Hall | Records: U of L: 11-6, 3-3; Cincinnati: 18-1, 6-0 |
|
| Well, what is there to say? When you've lost three of your last four games and you're coming off your first home loss of the season, and the top-ranked team in the country, who is undefeated in conference play and has defeated you five straight times, is coming to town for a national TV game, what else is there to say or do besides just take the court, tip it off, see what happens and pray for the best? Now we must admit that we never expected U of L to beat North Carolina or Utah, so they have surprised us at home before. But let's face it. A win over Cincinnati is about as likely as this writer showing up in U of L's starting lineup Thursday night. |
| As has been the case in the last few meetings between the Cardinals and the Bearcats, UC will try to exploit U of L's weakness in the front court. 6-8 center Kenyon Martin is not only a C-USA player of the year candidate but a first team All-America candidate as well. His muscle inside is contributing 17.2 ppg and 9.2 rpg on top of a conference-leading 64 blocks (Carlos Booker of Southern Miss is second with 44). 6-6 forward Pete Mickeal is averaging 14.6 points a game and 6.6 rpg, while DeMarr Johnson and Steve Logan are also averaging in double-figures for points at 12.6 and 10.2, respectively. As usual with other teams with strong frontcourts, like Utah, U of L will have to draw UC into a running game and see if their athleticism can carry them. Cincinnati has not improved as much from the perimeter as it would have liked, so if it can create an up-tempo game, U of L might have a chance to keep Cincinnati from pounding it inside. But their perimeter defense will have to improve after giving up 14 three-pointers to UNC-Charlotte last Saturday. |
| But the real question of the game has less to do with the X's and O's of game plans and more to do with heart, maturity and intensity. Against no other opponent over the last two seasons has U of L looked more vulnerable and weak than against Cincinnati. Added to the fact that U of L's top performance will still probably leave them short against the most talented Cincinnati team in years, and it doesn't look promising for the Cards. The question is how will the team respond to this adversity? Will it put up a fight, or crawl into a hole? A lot will be learned from U of L's performance on Thursday. A heartless blowout like the one that took place last year in Freedom Hall will not only leave U of L with a losing record in Conference USA, but could very well put the Cards into a tailspin out of which it may never recover. A competitive and passionate effort, on the other hand, could signal a growing-up of this year's bunch. The last few games have seen a disappearing act from U of L's seniors, especially Nate Johnson. In their last game against their rivals in Freedom Hall for their careers, will they decide to lead the team in unity towards an inspiring effort, or throw in the towel in desparation at having crumbled against a better team? There is no shame in a loss to Cincinnati. A non-competitive outing, however, an effort lacking in intensity and desire, will just add another despicable disappointment to a class of under-achievers.
|
| Game Summary: Cincinnati | Score: Cincinnati 75, Louisville 65 |
| Leading Scorers: U of L: Nate Johnson (19) Cincinnati: DeMarr Johnson (21) |
|
| Well, not only wasn't it as bad as it could have been, but a few breaks here and a made three-pointer there and U of L might have actually been able to pull off a real miracle. But after falling behind by as many as 18 points in the first half, and 17 at one point in the second half, the Cards faced too much of an uphill battle and could get no closer than seven in losing to the top-ranked Bearcats. The game saw standout performances from each team's Johnson, so to speak: DeMarr of Cincinnati had a first half of all first halves, making UNC-Charlotte look like a bunch of bricklayers. In the first half, he scored all 21 of his points on 5-5 three-point shooting to go along with a few assists. He finished 8-9 from the field in the first half. For U of L, Nate Johnson broke out of his slump and carried U of L from on offensive point of view, scoring 19 on 8-16 field goal shooting including 3-5 from three-point range. |
| The Cards were actually able to hold their own against Cincinnati on the inside. Remarkably, U of L outrebounded UC 24-20. But UC's 9-19 three-point shooting was too much for U of L to overcome. Kenyon Martin picked it up in the second half, scoring 10 of his 14 points in the latter period and compiling five blocks for the game. And freshman guard Kenny Satterfield had an outstanding game, scoring nine of his 11 points in the second period and finishing with an unbelievable 10 assists with no turnovers. UC broke the game open in the first half with a 14-2 run (including two of the threes by Demarr Johnson) to go up 37-19 with 3:17 left in the first half. U of L surged at the end of the half to close the gap a bit, trailing at halftime 39-27. For the half, UC was 7-10 on threes. |
| Johnson cooled off in the second half, but Martin, Satterfield and forward Pete Mikeal helped support UC for the second period. After Ryan Fletcher hit a three at the 7:20 mark, the Bearcats led 61-45. But U of L didn't die, and that was their most impressive element tonight. A 9-2 run cut the lead to nine at the 4:43 mark, and U of L got within seven at 67-60 off of two threes by Tony Williams, who finished with 10 points, five assists and five rebounds. On one of those shots, Williams was fouled in the act of shooting, somehow hitting a three after being mauled by a Cincinnati player. Nate Johnson had a three-point attempt after a missed U of L free-throw and a rebound that would have cut the lead to four, but it was not to be and that was as close as the Cards got. Although the loss drops U of L to last in the American Division, it was a bold effort against the nation's top team, and definitely provides a stepping stone for the second half of conference play.
|
|
| Game Preview: St. Louis | Date: Jan. 29, 2000 |
| Site: St. Louis, MO | Records: U of L: 11-7, 3-4; St. Louis: 11-7, 3-3 |
|
| The Cards have now lost four out of their last five games, and remain winless on an opponent's home floor in a non-tournament game. Although the loss to Cincinnati on Thursday proved the Cards can play tough, it's now time to start collecting some wins. Currently, U of L is last in C-USA's American Division, and is bordering right now on not making the NCAA tournament. There is still plenty of time to turn the ship around, but U of L really does need to be going all out now in order to improve its record and get on a roll. The task starts today at St. Louis, who like the Cards are 9-2 at home but have been inconsistent throughout the season. SLU has wins over Missouri and Dayton, and a close loss to Kansas, but also dropped games to Louisiana Tech, Southwest Missouri State and Kansas State. In conference play, the Billikens have an impressive win at DePaul and being spanked by the Blue Demons 56-38 earlier on, and also have a win against Marquette. |
| The Billikens are led by first-year coach Lorenzo Romar. Their best player so far has been Justin Love, who is averaging an impresive 18.1 ppg and 41% from three-point range. After their losses to UNC-Charlotte and Cincinnati, the Cards must improve their perimeter defense: those two teams combined for 23 three-pointers against U of L. At 10.1 points a game, Justin Tatum is the only other SLU player in double-figures. For the Cards, Nate Johnson broke out of his spell to score 19 against the Bearcats. The Cards will need scoring from everybody to get a win streak again. They haven't hit their magical 80 point total since their win over Tulane on Jan. 3. For U of L, Tony Williams is the leading scorer at 15.8 a game, followed by Nate Johnson at 14.2 and Marques Maybin at 13.5. Reece Gaines is almost in double-figures at 9.2 ppg, and has two more assists on the season than turnovers. Inside, Dion Edward leads the Cards in both rebounding (7.3 rpg) and blocks (27).
|
| Game Summary: St. Louis | Score: St. Louis 52, Louisville 48 |
| Leading Scorers: U of L: Marques Maybin (14) St. Louis: Justin Love (21) |
|
| Louisville's troubles on the road continue, and now U of L faces a real uphill challenge the rest of the season. The loss to St. Louis leaves U of L with only an 11-8 overall record and firmly in last place in C-USA's American Division at a record of 3-5. If U of L doesn't turn it around quickly, the Cards will be forced to turn in a miracle at the conference tournament just to make post-season play. In yesterday's game, everyone contributed to a sloppy, ugly game that was a defensive struggle throughout. Having arguably his worst game of the season since the opener at VCU, point guard Reece Gaines finished 1-6 from the field for only two points to go along with six turnovers. He also missed a shot with 10 seconds left that would have tied the game. |
| Again, the Cards found a special way to lose. What hurt them the most was their poor free throw shooting, finishing the day at 10-18 for 56%. The Cards had been shooting 71% from the line going into the game. U of L missed seven of 10 free throws in the last eight minutes, including five of six in the last four minutes. Maybin missed two of those, while senior Nate Johnson missed three. St. Louis, on the other hand, hit 11-12 from the line in the last six minutes, including four by Justin Love that broke a 48-48 tie with 41 seconds left. He hit two at that point after being fouled by Tobiah Hopper, then hit two more to seal the game after Gaines's miss. The Billikens finished 17-21 from the line, scoring more free throws than field goals 17-14. In a game of defensive intensity, U of L held St. Louis to 33.3% field goal shooting, including 1-12 from three-point range, and forced 19 turnovers. But U of L was just as bad from the offensive end. They finished at 36.2% from the field, and committed 25 turnovers, one shy of a season high. It was their lowest point total since scoring 46 against UK. |
| U of L had led 18-8 at one point in the first half, but St. Louis then scored 13 straight before the Cards got a goaltending call to go into the half down 21-20. In the first half, U of L went stretches of six and eight minutes without scoring. SLU pulled ahead by five in the second half, but a Maybin dunk tied the game at 48 with 2:41 left. Each team had only field goal in the final five mintues. Justin Tatum had 15 point and 11 rebounds for the Billikens, and also hit 5-6 free throws down the stretch (he entered the game a 54% free throw shooter). Besides Maybin, only Johnson scored in double-figures for U of L with 12 points on 4-13 shooting to go along with four steals. Both Tony Williams and Hopper finished with seven points.
|
|
