Jerry Smith will play against California
by Mike Rutherford on Mar 16, 2010 1:01 PM EDT
in Basketball
19 comments
Though he hasn't practiced since injuring his right thumb on March 6, senior guard Jerry Smith "will play" Friday night in Louisville's first round NCAA Tournament game against California, although head coach Rick Pitino says his minutes will be limited.
No word on whether Smith or junior guard Preston Knowles will start the game.
More quotes from Pitino and senior guard Edgar Sosa:
Edgar Sosa
-"It was scary. Us, Villanova and Notre Dame had not been called yet, and (Pitino) said, 'Guys, I don't think we made it. They're not going to put three Big East teams on one side of the bracket. We had watched a caveman commercial earlier and everybody was dying laughing. After Coach P said that, the same commercial came on you could hear a pin drop."
--"We need Jerry. He just gets all of us going on the defensive end. I definitely think we need Jerry for our NCAA game."
--"We were hoping be on the same side as Kentucky. That's something we all wanted."
-"I just like our chances. I'm not trying to get past the first round because Cal is a very good team. But let's say we do get past Cal, I think we match up with Duke pretty well. We could beat anybody when we come to play."
-"Everybody starts off fresh. It's a new season. We have to go in with confidence because one more loss means the season over."
Rick Pitino
--"(California is) a top-20 team; they're a dominant team. We realize we're facing one of the more underrated teams in the country."
--"They are, fundamentally, very sound. They play like a senior team; they're not going to beat themselves."
--"Several weeks ago it didn't look good for us. We were injured, banged up and not playing good basketball. The one thing this program has bought into is resiliency. Three years ago when we got blown out by Notre Dame, this town needed Prozac. But we never get down when we lose."
--"They're very tough to guard in transition. Randle is equally good off the bounce as he is pulling up. He'll pull up deeper than any player in college basketball. He's a good five feet past the pro line."
--"This is one of the more interesting seasons I've had as a basketball coach."
"We had to deviate this year. This is not our style where you go into a tournament and a Tennessee or Stanford comes against this pressing team that goes after you. That's not us this year. We had to play differently this year to win, and we accomplished that."
--"(Edgar Sosa's) playing as well as I've ever seen him play in all phases of the game. I don't think we have good leadership; it has to come from the coaches, and it's been that way all year. But Edgar Sosa's attitude has been great. I've been real proud of him. He's been quite special."
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Couple things
1) Hilarious that the CardChron thread was going through the same thing as the team, thinking we hadn’t made it because of the 3 Big East team thing.
2) Great that Jerry is playing.
3) Is Pitino talking about the January 2007 beatdown at ND or last year’s?
4) Sounds like he is preparing for a close game, not a Louisville tourney BCS opponent dismantling. For awhile there this team could run a good press but I guess the Big East has figured it out, or our talent just isn’t there. Not having T-Will or Earl and Andre really makes the press less effective.
our press
has given up more easy layups than turnovers produced.
McGee was an “in your $hit” defender, and T-will could roam centerfield on the press much better than NEMM or Delk. I think Rock could ultimately serve the same purpose as E5 at the top of the zone.
STV
Needs more minutes for defense. I thought he was fuckin on against UConn in the first game. He’s got to watch his fouling, but he was a shot blocking machine.
by REALISTICCARDSFAN on Mar 16, 2010 6:16 PM EDT up reply actions
do you expect SVT to be here in 2011?
I’m just asking…
because it seems as if Pitino is recruiting right over him
You're right, especially about Andre.
The biggest single difference in this team compared to last years is its inability to pressure the ball. Andre did not let opponents start their offenses where they wanted to. We also miss the defensive presence of Earl and T-will on the back end, to be sure. But it all began with Andre and his ability to turn over point guards, or to disrupt what they wanted to do, was key to last year’s deep run.
We simply can’t do that this year. We don’t have the ability to keep dribblers out of the middle. And when opponents can break us down on the dribble, bad things happen.
theoldman
I always wondered who still found the Geico caveman commercials funny
Now I know. Our guys do.
I thought he was referring to the Ivan Brothers commercials
(Vikings, not cavemen; but still something the team would likely find funny)
I think those Capital One Venture commercials were on during the selection show.
by Remote Cardinal on Mar 16, 2010 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Good call
I stand corrected. Sorry, team.
by doctorofdunk on Mar 16, 2010 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions
That said. I'm very glad to see...
that the team was somber after Coach P had shed some doubt on the team making it. Shows they really respect him.
Somehow I imagine Wall, Cousins, etc. back-talking or yucking it up to Coach Cal if he tried to get serious about something with the team during the selection show. I can’t picture Siva, Buckles, Marra, or others doing that at all.
by Remote Cardinal on Mar 16, 2010 5:21 PM EDT reply actions
senior-itis
Welcome back Jer! We’re 0-4 when doesn’t play / doesn’t score. We’re 9-1 when he scores in double digits. Here’s hoping he lights up the Bears. Despite what some might think, we’re gonna miss these guys. We need to have a commemerative towel night at the new stadium!
We need Jerry bad!
CAL has some good perimeter players and the one thing that Jerry does bring to the table is D. A ball of emotion, Gatorade towels, and DEFENSE! A senior guard is always going to be a plus… even if his shooting is suspect.
by bjack357 on Mar 16, 2010 10:34 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
This is not good
I’m not trying to get past the first round because Cal is a very good team. But let’s say we do get past Cal, I think we match up with Duke pretty well.
Focus, Edgar. This game. This opponent. To quote from a song we old-timers know well, “This is it. Make no mistake where you are; you’re going no further until it’s over and done, one way or another.”
The man's never gonna change
Let’s just roll with it for the week.
by Mike Rutherford on Mar 17, 2010 9:22 AM EDT up reply actions
Cringing.
Even though I think the same thing. In fact, I feel strangely confident about Duke if we could get past Cal. I just hope we get to see our guys play at least two more games.
by cardsinindy2010 on Mar 17, 2010 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions
I just looked at our bracket again. Man, it's weak.
Why couldn’t we have been handed a region like this last year? Duke is so undeserving of this bracket. And it is hard for me to imagine anyone out of this region challenging UK if they make it to the Final Four. Duke is too unathletic, Nova lacks the size, Purdue has been crippled by the Hummel injury, etc.
Kansas (not to mention OSU and G’town) got shafted. I would have loved to see Georgetown in UK’s bracket as the 4 seed. Damnit.
by cardsinindy2010 on Mar 17, 2010 1:32 PM EDT reply actions
Louisville's bracket last year
was fairly weak. First was the play-in winner, then a 9 seed.
Arizona probably didn’t deserve to be in the tourney.
MSU didn’t get hot until they played us. They struggled in Big Ten play (lost to Ohio State, Northwestern and Penn State, PENN STATE DAMNIT!). Didn’t dominate their previous 2 opponents like they did the Cards. They didn’t look great against Kansas, and I left the game thinking I’d rather play MSU than KU (guess I was wrong).
Shouldn’t have had a close game until the Final Four.
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