My formula for success is rise early, work late, and strike oil. — J. Paul Getty
Ladies and Gents, Cardinal Lovers everywhere, the University of Louisville has a gusher on the property.
Pat Kelsey is all that and more.
Louisville 68, Stanford 48.
Since December 14, 2024, U of L has lost one game.
While winning 19.
Through injuries. Through sickness. Through . . . essentially . . . whatever.
With Cardinal bombardier Reyne Smith sidelined for Senior Day, the Cards’ keeper coach fashioned another masterpiece.
Developed to play full speed. Lots of ball movement. Louisville needed to play slow. And smart.
So they did.
They needed to trickerate the visiting Cardinal on occasion. So they did, as when PK called for some full court pressure on several key possessions late.
Pat Kelsey (and his entire staff) is/are the whole package.
He’s the Rah Rah. The master roster formulator. He can prepare. He can tweak in game.
* * * * *
As I stood at courtside as the postgame Senior Day festivities, with most of the 18,707 hanging around to bask in the joy, I was totally discombobulated. Verklempt. Frankly, crying from the happy.
Muttering over an over again, “I love the Cardinals.”
In my seven decades of fandom, there are only two games I wanted to win more.
The first title game in Indy. Knoxville.
After today, the Cards are 3/3.
* * * * *
But this team — oh my, oh my oh my, this TEAM — as it does done time and again, closed the deal.
U of L’s once solid lead was cut to single digits at 41-33, after surrendering triples on consecutive Stanford possessions.
I was nervous Nellie. And her cousin Nadine. And her sister Nancy.
PK called a timeout. During which, he yet again fashioned a highlight of an inbounds call.
Terrence Edwards found James Scott cutting to the hoop. Slamarama.
The Cards forced a turnover.
Louisville came out of a media stoppage, hoisting some heavy metal artillery. A 25 pound sledgehammer to be technical about it.
Terrance Edwards three.
Stop.
Noah Waterman bomb. 49-33.
But Stanford kept comin’.
Louisville kept responding.
At 51-41, Edwards drove for a deuce.
At 53-43, J’Vonne Hadley drove for a deuce.
At 55-45, after a TE ORB, Hadley canned a 2d chance J.
When Chucky Hepburn netted that late shot clock fallaway at 1:25 to go up 63-47, I broke the base requirement of press row.
I stood up pumping my fist, screaming at the top of my lungs over and over and over again, “YES! YES!! YES!!!”
How strong were the University of Louisville Cardinals to close this magnificent victory?
They netted 4 of their last five FGs.
They held Amasa Leland Stanford without one for the final 2:52.
* * * * *
There’s so much more to say.
But, kids, forgive me, this wrapup is not very linear, is very disjointed. I’m still out of sorts with glee. I just want to finish this GameCap and kick back and savor it.
So, just a couple more things.
Cards held Stanford to 48 points, which is 25 under their season average.
The shorter Cards outrebounded the Cardinal by 7, had four more 2d chance points, and outscored the Silicon Valley crew in the paint by — getta loada this — 42-26.
I’m not going to give any individual stats. The usual guys scored, the usual guys rebounded. You can look ’em up.
All the guys played a game-defining wall of defense.
This was a team victory.
A victory for the program.
A victory for the fans.
A victory for the city.
Basketball Bliss ‘r’ Us.
— c d kaplan
Onward they go , beyond impressive.
My beloved Cardinals play my heart strings with class, fervor and determination. It’s fun again.
It’s been a hard day’s night as once uttered by the Fab Four. And Cardinal fans should be sleepin’ like a log. And in the same film the proverbial question was asked, ” What can I say ?” to which a quick retort followed, “Say no more”. Drop mic and go Cards!