Ah yes, a disappointing conference L to a better, more talented, legit national title contender and the All Is Lost Brigade has emerged.
Of course, I’m disappointed. I was truly forlorn as the game slip
slided away in the 2d against Duke.
But, I try to view in context.
Let me start with this reality:
Even after two losses in a row, the 11-4 University of Louisville Cardinals would be a Top 4 seed.
NCAA Net Rating: 15.
Ken Pomeroy: 15.
Evan Miya: 16.
Bart Torvik: 13.
So, there’s that.
Then another little item to remember.
U of L has been playing without its most talented player. A kid who was just named the USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year. The PG how tallied 29 in the Cardinals signature win of the year over Arch Rival, while handing out 5 assists and turning it over only once.
Yes, like all U of L diehards I wonder how long Mikel Brown’s back issue will have him sitting. But what I observed Tuesday was a kid really engaged and itching to get back on the court.
So, the thinking here is that Louisville would have defeated Stanford* with Brown in the lineup. And made last night’s game more competitive, given his ability to penetrate, which would have given the Cardinal shooters better looks.
*Perspective. League games on the road are TOUGH. Ever a challenge. Example, Michigan had won 8 of its 9 games before last night by 30 points. The Wolverines escaped State College with a down to the buzzer 72-70 win over Big Ten bottom feeeder Penn State (9-6, 0-4).
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It would appear that the Pat Kelsey honeymoon is over.
Not without basis.
His apparent inability to adjust to in game situations at this level of hoops — so far — is a concern.
How he fashioned this year’s roster remains questionable. Though I for one do not know if he whiffed on some targets or not. Well, yeah, we know about Nate Ament. Anyone else?
I am looking at the situation as a sophomore slump.
The key to his long term success in The Ville will be what U of L looks like next season. Roster wise. Staff wise. Strategically.
Not, mind you, that this season is over by any means. How PK adapts to what’s happening shall be closely observed.
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Had an interesting conversation in the Media Room before the game with a couple of fellows, whose names I don’t know. One, an NBA scout; the other, a hoops writer who obviously is connected in the midwest, given the games he mentioned covering and the coaches he has had conversations with. Including some mentioned below.
About how Josh Heird landed on PK.
Josh Schertz, now at St. Louis, was the Cards’ second choice, after Dusty May. Apparently such was the general feeling that May would become the Cardinal coach, Schertz inked with the Billikens. Then Michigan came open, May, a Big Ten guy moved north. Schertz honored his contract with St. Louis, and Heird pivoted to Pat Kelsey.
Not really breaking news, but a confirmation of what most of us thought.
Louisville basketball under Kelsey has escaped the mire it was in.
Now we’ll see how this year’s more flawed but far from awful contingent fares, and how the PK Era matures moving forward.
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Interesting article in theathletic.com this morning about the similarities between the Ole Miss football situation and Michigan basketball and its ’89 title. Right before the Dance, AD Bo Schembechler fired Bill Frieder, who had signed to coach Arizona State, and interim Steve Fisher led the Wolverines to the crown.
But such was the disbelief in Ann Arbor about the school’s chances, they didn’t send the school band to the sub regional. Hired some local group to play “Hail to the Victors.”
Which was more than U of L did when the Cardinals traveled to San Diego for what could have been, and was in some regards, an epic Final Four with UCLA, Syracuse and Kentucky.
No Cardinal band.
They had consolation games in those days. During U of L’s match against the Orange for 3d place, the Big Blue band “helped” with the Louisville fight song. Which they did not do during the Cards sad sad sad loss to the Bruins in the semi.
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Anyway, fellow Cardinal diehards, yes, we are sad today, distraught.
We shall survive.
Beat Boston College.
— c d kaplan
