Cardinal Empire opines on the tourney thus far and then takes the Cards by six tonight.
The major subplot tonight is going to be whether or not Louisville is top-seed worthy. Well, it's nice to know that this guy thinks they are.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's head's in the right place.
"I’m just hoping they’re going to be a No. 1 seed," McConnell said of U of L.
"You know, even after Pitt and Connecticut had lost, I noticed on ‘Sports Center’ this morning – you can see where my mind is – they’re still not talking about U of L even being a No. 1 seed. The issue is Connecticut, after losing in six overtimes last night, is still going to be a No. 1 seed," said the senator, an avid U of L fan.
"I think Rick Pitino’s done a fabulous job," McConnell added. "He ought to be coach of the year. But they’re so used to his success, it gets no attention when he has a great year. If U of L wins the Big East tournament, they ought to be a No. 1 seed.
"And I think they have a legitimate shot at winning. I do think North Carolina’s the best team in the country, but it depends on who’s the best team the night they play if they get to play."
'Nova blog I Bleed Blue and White outlines what the Wildcats have to do to move on to the title game.
- Take care of the ball - Louisville loves to use the full court press and they have had great success with it, leading to many easy baskets. Villanova should have the guard play to handle it, but Corey Fisher and Scottie Reynolds will need to play under control. They can’t afford to constantly turn it over.
- Defend the perimeter - The Cardinals have a plethora of guards and forwards who act like guards. Villanova held Louisville to 3-25 from beyond the arc last time out, which was a big reason why they were able to climb back in the game. Earl Clark can get jump shot happy, even though he’s so tough inside. Force Louisville to take ill-advised shots.
- Play through the pain - After a tough game with Marquette, it’s going to be natural for Villanova to be tired and sluggish. But this team thrives on grit and determination. They love scrapping and clawing. That’s what this game will end up being about. Louisville is flashy. Villanova works hard. Outwork them and see the rewards in the end.
We dominate Villanova when it comes to playing on Fridays. Bet the house.
Not related to the game at all, but this headline sounds incredibly inappropriate.
Key game stats:
| Louisville | Key Team Stats | Villanova |
 74.0 |
Points scored |
 77.2 |
|
61.7 |
Points allowed |
66.9 |
|
.451 |
FG% own |
.460 |
|
.393 |
FG% opposition |
.403 |
|
.356 |
3PT% own |
.368 |
|
.304 |
3PT% opposition |
.334 |
|
397 |
Offensive Rebounds |
388 |
|
793 |
Defensive Rebounds |
805 |
|
1271 |
Total Rebounds |
1307 |
|
1.2 |
Assist/Turnover Ratio |
1.1 |
|
17.3 |
Fouls Per Game |
19.1 |
The Cards currently stand as a 4.5 point favorite, and this guy breaks it down and says expect them to cover...which means everything.
Mitch thinks 'Nova "at least" covers...SON OF A BITCH.