Louisville 80, South Florida 54
Maybe it was the snow, maybe it was the fact that it was South Florida or maybe it was just that - for a change - you never really felt like the outcome was in doubt, but Wednesday night's game was sort of unexpectedly fun.
Seeing the team continue to roll, the players on the bench continually jumping around, guys like Jared Swopshire, Kyle Kuric and Reggie Delk have some success, and then being privy to the first Lee Steiden sighting of the season; it all made a win over USF feel better than it probably should have.
Put simply: it's far more enjoyable to follow this team than I ever thought possible seven weeks ago.
I'll be the first to call for his head if he attempts it in another single-digit game this season, but the T-Will between the legs pass to Earl Clark on the break was truly remarkable.
We might not have a player capable of doing the things Terrence Williams can do for quite some time, so my advice is to enjoy the show while you can.
Perhaps the most encouraging thing about last night's game was the way Williams responded after his so obviously inapt start.
When Rick Pitino politely told him at halftime that those types of shots were not to be attempted anymore, Williams reportedly responded: "I got you coach, I was dead wrong." And when Williams appeared determined to head to the hole early on in a second half possession, all it took was a "slow down, T-Will" from his head coach to make the senior co-captain pull the ball back out. The trip ended with an uncontested Edgar Sosa three-pointer from the corner.
The man has gotten the message, and his team is the hottest in the country because of it.
We may never have a player more willing to hug his teammates than Jerry Smith, and I couldn't love him more for it. The only thing more pleasant than Overly Excited Jerry is Unnecessarily Affectionate Jerry.
Also, Jerry, you and the mildly contested three-pointer could have a really great relationship. I'm telling you. I know she's not quite as sexy as the wide-open trey, but the girl can cook, clean and seamlessly carry on a meaningful conversation. Plus, her easy going family loves you.
Great to see George Goode back in action and looking like the lay-off is not going to have any seriously adverse effect on his game. It was nice to see him stroke those two free-throws, because being semi-reliable from the stripe could make him really valuable in a situation where Samuels has fouled out and having Jennings on the floor for any stretch of time is too risky.
Not a bad follow-up dunk, either.
Does anyone else get the feeling that Dominique Jones thinks he's just a tad bit better than he actually is? Don't get me wrong, Dominique, you're a solid player - you've definitely got me in a game of 1-on-1 or "Can You Dunk?" - but you're a solid player on the University of South Florida basketball team...chill out.
The defense of Andre McGee and Preston Knowles has been praised at length on here in recent weeks, so I just want to take this opportunity to compliment McGee on his two big three-pointers, and Knowles on his short jumper and great assist on one of Samardo's dunks.
Also, watching you two play defense gives me a massive erection.
I'm sorry, I couldn't help it.
Watching Jared Swopshire on Wednesday was like getting a glimpse of what he's capable of doing night in, night out in the Big East if he puts on a decent amount of muscle. The strides he made over the summer prove he's dedicated enough to make it happen, which is exciting.
Pop, lock and Swop it.
Someone told me that Terrence Jennings blocked the shot of an athletically-lacking center in the LSU/Tennessee game last night. It happened. His arms are that long.
Even more encouraging than the 12 points and three monster blocks was the fact that Earl Clark turned the ball over just once against a team known more for its speed than its size.
If Lee hadn't have gotten in last night, I would have lost it. If Lee had made that three from the corner last night, I would have lost it times two.
You would have thought the fact that it was the 800th game being played in Freedom Hall would have been more publicized, especially since it's the last big, round number that the arena will ever see. Oh well.
Seven Big East wins should have about 12th place in the conference locked up. Let's go ahead and shoot a little bit higher.
It's Huggy time.
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19 comments
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Comments
Thank Goodness
for the snow and Ice. Mike, the blog has never been better. We need to somehow make this your full time gig so we can read about all things cardinal all day everyday….. Come to think of it I need a gig like that too.
"You win some, You lose some but you never stop trying to do your best" Denny Crum
by DANCARD on Jan 29, 2009 3:55 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, your voice
comin’ through nicely, Mike.
The look on Edgar’s face in the Pic….“What you doin’ homes stylin wit that tween legs shit?——that’s MY coop, man”
Or something like that.
by Roz on Jan 29, 2009 4:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Because I'm among the powerless
I was wondering if the T-Will assist made the SC top 10 and, if so, what number it was at. I saw a replay of a tweener to a dunk from the Wake-Duke game and wondered which one would be higher.
by Dais on Jan 29, 2009 4:34 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
if you missed it...
I couldn’t watch the game up here in MA, but caught TWill’s pass on YouTube.
Holy. Shit.
by BostonCardFan on Jan 30, 2009 12:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Here's something to think about...
What if we become a really smooth, well-oiled, decent shooting team? What if we consistently shoot in the 42-45 percent range against good opponents, and all the while maintaining that nut-crunching defensive pressure?
I’ll tell you what if. We’ll be heading to another Final Four, that’s what. We may not have the ability to score as consistently and easily as some of the other really top teams in the country, but we will flat defense your ass. Given the choice of the two, I’ll take the defense.
By the way, our defensive pressure was so all-encompassing last night that the Jones kid just didn’t want the ball when bringing it up the floor. Wanted no part of it — “please, please throw it to somebody else.”
He was still willing to shoot it, of course. Just didn’t want to dribble against McGee or Knowles.
theoldman
by theoldman on Jan 29, 2009 4:38 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Utopia
“What if we become a really smooth, well-oiled, decent shooting team? What if we consistently shoot in the 42-45 percent range against good opponents, and all the while maintaining that nut-crunching defensive pressure?”
….In that Orwellian case would we also lose all personality, be a 2009 Cardinal version of the 1927 Yankeees, US Steel, the 1972 Dolphins, or, God forbid, the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers? Would TWILL awaken with a water mellon like seed pod under his bed? Would he become one of THEM?
As Donald Fagan wrote: “What a beautiful world it would be.” Yeah, with satin jackets, one for everyone.
If all went so well in our little world, then they wouldn’t be our Cardinals, would they?
by Roz on Jan 30, 2009 7:39 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
This is a great thought
Many of my friends laugh at me when I express my disappointment or fear with this team. “Yeah, it must be rough for you right now” or something similar is usually the response.
But this team like so many others is like a child to me. Not perfect by any means but just brimming with potential for greatness. The flashes of brilliance (22-3 run to start the second half???) make me expect more out of them, probably unfairly.
I don’t want a boring juggernaut, I want a flawed team so I can see a little of me in them. :)
"I AM ARABIC FOR SUGAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!" -- by sukr on Jan 12, 2009 4:55 PM EST
by jch24 on Jan 30, 2009 10:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
One more thing
If you still have copies of some of our earlier games this year, I think you’ll notice that before the last half-dozen contests, we were overwhelmingly a right-hand bias team. We started 80 percent of our offense on the right side of the court; about 80 percent of the time our guys went to their strong sides.
Against Syracuse, Boeheim, who’s obviously as aware of such things as this old man is, really had guys overplaying us to the right — even when they were in the 2-3. Then lo and behold and thanks to great coaching, we scored something of six or our last eight baskets out of moves or plays that went to the left.
That’s another thing that shows how much we’re improving.
theoldman
by theoldman on Jan 29, 2009 4:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
pop lock and swop it
it’s a good expression when swop does something solo, ie his dunk on the rebound
however, can we make it a rule that whenever he scores off a sweet assist someone yells “HE WENT TO JARED!”
by davidson07 on Jan 29, 2009 10:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j27/sam34gtr/bball%20south%20florida/?action=view¤t=IMG_1695.jpg
by sam34gtr on Jan 30, 2009 2:27 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Correction
by sam34gtr on Jan 30, 2009 2:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Earl's shirt once again coming untucked.
It’s like it just has a natural aversion to tucking.
by CARD_G6 on Jan 30, 2009 3:38 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
TJ always looks so brisk in the air.
It’s always like he’s just standing around, then you notice his feet are 15" off the floor.
Also, there is an exceptionally large amount of Will Scott in your album for the game.
by CARD_G6 on Jan 30, 2009 3:45 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
For those who are counting...
…another win for ADMM. And the streak goes on.
by JustCards on Jan 30, 2009 9:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

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