Tuesday afternoon Cardinal news and notes

—Louisville is up to a No. 5 seed in the latest Bracketology from SB Nation’s Chris Dobbertean. The Cards weren’t even in the field three weeks ago.

—U of L has revealed the 10 person search committee it will use to hire its permanent athletic director, but at this point, it’s going to be a shock if the move is anything other than removing the interim tag from Vince Tyra’s title.

—Our guy Tom Davis, he of flipping out after Malik Williams committed to Louisville and claiming that Caleb Swanigan should be embarrassed that he left Purdue for the NBA, is back with more fire takes.

Injured players wearing t-shirts and not rented tuxes will be the downfall of college basketball.

—Louisville’s wins over Purdue and Florida State as well as its losses to Boston College and Mississippi State all make appearances on Bill Connelly’s list of the 100 best college football games of the 2017 season.

—Mike Brey is hoping that Bonzie Colson will be back for the ACC tournament.

—John Calipari is cracking and swinging wildly at Duke now.

Williamson talked about his relationship with Coach K, the Duke brotherhood, and the family atmosphere he sensed taking visits that made him feel at home. And on Monday, Kentucky coach John Calipari threw a heap of shade at Duke and the way the staff may have sold him on the program.

”I don’t sell, when you come here: ‘The university and the state will take care of you for the rest of your life.’ You may buy that, and I’ve got some great property and some swampland down in Florida to sell you too. Every one of us in this country is based on, you have to take care of your self, prepare yourself, and then when you make it you make sure you’re helping and along the way you’re bringing other people with you. That’s what we’re trying to do: just give these guys the best opportunity. We’re not trying to say that this university or state will take care of you for the rest of your life. There’s no socialism here. This stuff is you have to go do it and we’re going to help you do it. Some like that, some don’t like that.” - via UKAthletics.com

Exhibit B:

Guy is losin’ it.

—Kansas’ Udoka Azubuike could be about to follow in the footsteps of Chinanu Onuaku by becoming an underhanded free-throw shooter.

—Malik Williams has been “playing ruthless” and becoming a reliable big man.

“He’s playing ruthless,” Mahmoud said. “He’s playing good defense. On the offensive glass, he’s diving for every ball.”

Mahmoud said he thought Williams, who played at Snider High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is still adapting to a college level that asks more of him as a big man. As a senior in high school, Williams averaged a double-double but also hit 44 3-pointers.

“Our system is a little different,” Mahmoud said. “He’s not used to it yet. He’s getting there. He’s getting a lot better (at) knowing his lanes and where to go and when to go to the 3-point line and when not to. But it’s going to take him time to adapt to that.”

That development process will help Williams relieve Mahmoud and Spalding this year and perhaps emerge into a starting role next season.

In the meantime, his 2-of-2 3-point shooting in the first half did provide a boost to a team that hit just 4 of 13 as a group. He joined the starting lineup Jan. 2 against Pittsburgh with Mahmoud battling a stomach virus, and he has not relinquished that spot.

“If Malik can defend and rebound, which he seems to be doing,” Padgett said, “the rest of it will take care of itself.”

—Teddy Bridgewater “definitely” sees himself as a starter in 2018.

—Virginia Tech upset North Carolina last night, and Buzz Williams was feeling it.

He also lost approximately 17 pounds of water weight through the course of the evening.

—Louisville is No. 19 in the Baseball America preseason top 25.

—Quick reminder that Lamar Jackson is our greatest human.

—U of L’s Katie Walsh has been named to USA Field Hockey’s Women’s National Development Squad.

—I don’t think I can accurately put into words just how much young Mike Rutherford loved the Bud Bowl. Happy anniversary.

My parents should have known.

—FSU’s coach was “extremely proud” of her players following their upset win at Louisville on Sunday.

—Best home court advantage in the ACC.

—The Heine Brothers on Bardstown Rd. is bouncing to a different location.

—Lamar Jackson is one of seven finalists for the 2017 Lombardi Award.

The full list:

Saquon Barkley, Penn State (RB)
Minkah Fitzpatick, Alabama (S)
Shaquem Griffin, UCF (LB)
Lamar Jackson, Louisville (QB)
Joel Lanning, Iowa State (LB/QB)
Bryce Love, Stanford (RB)
Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (QB)

Props to Lombardi Award by garnering attention via the “holy shit, they still haven’t handed out all the awards for last season?” method.

—Preston Brown doesn’t get off the field much in Buffalo.

—The Miami Herald tells readers what they need to know about Wednesday’s showdown between the Canes and Cards.

—Jeff Greer talks with the Palm Beach Post’s Matt Porter for his latest podcast.

—I had the same reaction initially.

—Your first 2018 Heisman Trophy odds from Bovada:

Odds to Win the 2018 Heisman Trophy

Bryce Love (RB Stanford) 7/1

Johnathan Taylor (RB Wisconsin) 8/1

Khalil Tate (QB Arizona) 9/1

Tua Tagovailoa (QB Alabama) 10/1

J.K. Dobbins (RB Ohio State) 12/1

Jake Fromm (QB Georgia) 12/1

Jarrett Stidham (QB Auburn) 12/1

Will Grier (QB West Virginia) 12/1

Justin Herbert (QB Oregon) 15/1

Kelly Bryant (QB Clemson) 15/1

McKenzie Milton (QB UCF) 18/1

Trace McSorley (QB Penn State) 18/1

Cam Akers (RB Florida State) 22/1

Jake Browning (QB Washington) 22/1

Rodney Anderson (RB Oklahoma) 25/1

Ryan Finley (QB NC State) 25/1

Brandon Winbush (QB Notre Dame) 35/1

D’Andre Swift (RB Georgia) 35/1

Nick Fitzgerald (QB Mississippi State) 35/1

Travis Etienne (RB Clemson) 35/1

David Sills (WR West Virginia) 45/1

Ed Oliver (DL Houston) 55/1

Nick Bosa (DL Ohio State) 75/1

Sleep on Blanton Creque at your own peril, Bovada.

—This is a wild stat and a nice reminder that — at least on the court -- we’ve had it pretty good in recent years.

—R&R is back at the LAC on Westport Rd. from 3-6 today. Sports will be talked.

—And finally, my thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy today at Marshall County High School.