Continuing this season's theme of playing lots of shitty teams in a short period of time with the hope that no one will notice, the Louisville Cardinals begin a four-day stretch that features three games against low-majors with losing records tonight when they host (rival?) Northeastern.
Louisville will take on San Francisco tomorrow night at 7, and will host UNC Asheville Saturday afternoon at 1 in their final tune-up before Big East play.
You might think that a 3-7 team with four losses of 20 points or more might not be a quality opponent, but they're actually the greatest team ever to play basketball.
NU is led by 6-9 senior forward Bennet Davis who is averaging 13.6 points per game, and notched a double-double with 20 points and ten rebounds eariler in the season against Boston University. Davis also grabbed a career high 19 rebounds against Northeastern in a 51-41 win on Dec. 18.
Senior captain Bobby Kelly has also been a standout for the Huskies. Kelly is averaging 37.7 minutes per game this sesaon (most in the CAA), and has committed just seven fouls on the year despite consistantly being assigned to the oppositions' top offensive performer.
The Huskies are playing their fourth and final Big East opponent of the season. Thus far, against the conference (Syracuse (81-58), Pittsburgh (78-52), and Connecticut (81-53)), the Huskies have allowed 80 points per game while scoring just 54.4. Also in these three games, NU is shooting 35.4 percent from the floor while the three opponents have shot a combined 49.2 percent.
In all the Huskies have scored less than 60 points eight times in 10 games this season.
And if you didn't think this game could get any more heated, peep this:
Northeastern earned victory in the only prior meeting between the schools with an 88-84 overtime win in the season opener and the opening round of the 1986 Great Alaska Shootout, stunning the defending national champions. Husky legend Reggie Lewis scored 32 points to lead the Huskies in the upset. Pervis Ellison led Louisville with 26 points, but fouled out with just under five minutes to play in regulation.
Rick Pitino also has some history against Northeastern, as he and former Husky head coach Jim Calhoun went head to head in some intense rivalry matchups between Northeastern and Boston University from 1978-83. Over that span, Pitino went 6-3 versus Calhoun's Huskies. He also defeated Northeastern once on Dec. 2, 1985 when Pitino was head coach at Providence College to bring his all-time record versus Northeastern to 7-3.
Did we mention that former Louisville forward Chad Millard transferred to Northeastern and will be playing for the Huskies next season?
Shit's about to get crazy tonight.
Starting Lineups:
NORTHEASTERN (3-7)
F Bennet Davis...Sr...13.6 ppg
F Manny Adako...Fr....5.6 ppg
G Matt Janning...Fr...10.3 ppg
G Adrian Martinez..Sr..12.4 ppg
G Bobby Kelly....Sr....8.8 ppg
LOUISVILLE (7-4)
F Terrence Williams..So..12.1 ppg
F Juan Palacios....Jr....11.9 ppg
C David Padgett....Jr....7.8 ppg
G Edgar Sosa......Fr.....11.1 ppg
G Jerry Smith.....Fr.....9.1 ppg
Favorite: Louisville by 19
CC Prediction: Louisville 74, Northeastern 53
Predicted High-Man: Brandon Jenkins, 17 points