Tag Archives: Jaylen Johnson

Louisville CardFile: Notre Dame

joaniecardIn the wake of U of L’s loss, 66-71, to the Fighting Irish in South Bend, it becomes even more fascinating that the ’86 national champions shall be feted next Saturday, when villainous Grayson Allen and his fellow Blue Lucifers come to the Yum!.

There is way more than a peripheral symmetry to the whole situation.

That title was won against the azure Princes of Darkness from Durham. This year’s squad, as we all too well know, won’t be competing for a crown at all.

Louisville’s second title winners started that quest with a 20 point W over Drexel. That Philly school whose mascot is Mario the Magnificent was famously referred to as “one of them academic schools” by star guard Milt Wagner. Who should know, since he was from Camden, just 11 miles across the state line in Jersey.

And, the Cards’ leading scorer this season is Damion Lee, a done&one from, yes, that “academic school,” which apparently doesn’t have a graduate program in Lee’s specific discipline, requiring him to transfer to U of L for his post-grad work.

Plus, as trivia-obsessed hoopaholics should recall, that ’86 tourney featured one of the great upsets in the history of the Dance. In the opening round, Bobby Knight’s IU Hoosiers were upended 83-79 by unheralded Cleveland State, which was coached by a fellow named Kevin Mackey, later busted while exiting a crack house with his mistress.

The coach-designated “leader” of this year’s Cardinal squad from his first day on campus,  Trey Lewis, is another done&one from — all together now — Cleveland State. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Notre Dame

Louisville CardFile: Boston College

joaniecardIn street clothes, hobbled by a minor knee injury, Damion Lee limped to the center circle for a ceremonial toss up.

Less fueled than normal for an early noon tip against ACC cellar dweller Boston College, the Yum! crowd was nonetheless more raucous than usual. Displaying to the Cards’ done&one leading scorer that they indeed have his back, a standing O ensued.

Ball game!

6:32 after the real tip, Donovan Mitchell drained a trey. The Cards led 19-2. Walk on Jay Henderson, who had garnered but 18 minutes of mop up duty on the season, joined the fray moments later.

By then, Boston College had already committed six turnovers. Sitting next to me, Ed Peak wondered aloud, “Could Bellarmine beat these guys?”

Meanwhile, I’m thinking the Eagles might actually be the worst team U of L has played.

At which point, I got a phone message from The Professor, sitting across the arena, “This is the worst team Louisville has played all year.” Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Boston College

Louisville CardFile: Virginia Tech

joaniecardThe first name my fingers seem compelled to type in the wake of  Louisville’s latest ACC road W, 91-83 over Virginia Tech, is neither Damion Lee nor Trey Lewis, the Cardinal done&ones who led the way.

The name is Ken Pomeroy. (Not to worry, I’ll get to the Cardinal stars in a bit.)

Pomeroy is the hoops computer geek whom I and other scribes locally and nationally are referencing this season with increasing frequency. He’s risen to guru status.

We adore him around here, because he’s valued the Cardinals higher all season than the humans who actually watch games and vote in polls. Pomeroy considers many variables, way too many for me to understand them all.

What I do know is they add up to #3 national ranking for U of L, behind Oklahoma and Iowa. Though the Cards’s defensive efficiency ranking has slipped from #1 to #5, its offensive ranking has been steadily improving in league play, and is now 21st best in the land.

Anyway, my point. Yesterday I dug deep into Pomeroy’s subscriber site for explanations of his many stats. Most, I frankly didn’t understand.

What struck me though was this admission. He acknowledges that his system is slightly biased in favor of teams with weaker schedules. U of L’s overall schedule is the 144th toughest in the country, but its non-conference slate was ranked #301. Which is perhaps a reason why his computers so admire Louisville. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Virginia Tech

Louisville CardFile: Florida State

joaniecardUpdated 1/21 at 1:15.

The dunk, ah yes, The Dunk.

Well, ever the contrarian, I shall not start with that moment. Though, rest easy and be patient, I shall get to it soon enough.

After all it has hoopaholics locally and across the B-ball universe ODing. And, should Dickie V have been telecasting U of L’s 84-65 W over Florida State, we may have had the unfortunate pleasure of watching him implode with hyperbole before our very eyes, his viscera blasting through 55 inch Samsungs across the country. (Thankfully he was elsewhere.)

So, yes, more in a bit about Donovan Mitchell’s splendorous slam, and its place in Cardinal lore. But first, I want to talk about my favorite play of his last night.  Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Florida State

Louisville CardFile: Pittsburgh

joaniecardJust how justifiably pleased was the often prickly Rick Pitino after the focused Louisville Cardinals 59-41 Big East-ish beatdown of rival Pitt?

Well, during his meeting with the media, he shared some personal info, which is an alien concept for him, contrary to his default MO. He shared that he never eats on game days, such is his nervousness, but had chosen to do so Thursday, due to the late tip. And that he had to take his leave for a moment during a break in the action mid-game for a bit of personal purging.

Said he’d eaten a taste of turkey. No bread. Apparently it wasn’t bland enough.

But, a more telling expression of his pleasure at the Cards’ performance came during his radio interview with Bob Valvano. During which, he further extrapolated on his gastrointestinal discomfort, and the reasons therefor. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Pittsburgh

Louisville CardFile: NC State

joaniecardWell, alright then, U of L’s first real road W of the year, 77-72 over the NC State Wolfpack, could have been more impressive.

In the first half, the Cardinals overcame a horrendous effort early on the defensive boards, surrendering 11 offensive rebounds, foul trouble of consequence to five key contributors, a quirky patchwork lineup and general road jitters to fashion a 14 point advantage (27-13) with seven and a half minutes to play before intermission.

That measure dwindled to a deuce with less than a minute of action left before respite. Before Quentin Snider, playing his career game, generated a bit of ballast with the most important shot of the tilt, a late trey, providing U of L with its five point lead at halftime.

Having regenerated a significant double digit advantage,71-55, with three and a half minutes left before the buzzer, it appeared that Louisville’s ongoing improvement, which appears more inevitable with each adventure, might have accelerated.

Then conference road game heebie-jeebies, the first turnovers of the second stanza, several mistakes in judgement by Trey Lewis, lax D, some boffo marksmanship by the Wolfpack, and unsteadiness in trying to milk the clock, and, whatdaya know, U of L was facing the real possibility of OT, up just three with :07.5 to play and State’s ball out of bounds in its frontcourt. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: NC State

Louisville CardFile: UMKC

joaniecardAfter last evening’s gluttonous consumption of tenderized Kangaroo, a 75-47 dessert portion of Missouri Kansas City, there is but one confection left on U of L’s holiday platter of sweets.

Tonight’s victim Utah Valley is ranked #323 (Of 351 DI hoops participants), and is the last meringue the Cardinals shall gorge before the real season begins on Saturday in Lexington.

The Cards continue to impress, as much as they can against what has been unarguably the most pathetic schedule played by any legit national contenda.

The question remains, despite the tenuous but arguably persuasive logic that this young team needed more scrimmage-like seasoning than normal, will they be ready for Kentucky in Rupp? And improving Wake Forest in the ACC season opener? And beyond?.

Or, would they have been better served with a bit more competition?

We’ll soon enough find out. Was U of L’s recent grande bouffe of pastries a healthy enough diet, more beneficial than, say, Vandy’s trip to Purdue, or Iowa State’s test at Cincy, or California’s visit in Charlottesville? Continue reading Louisville CardFile: UMKC

Louisville CardFile: Western Kentucky

joaniecardOne of Rick Pitino’s most exemplary traits as a basketball mastermind was evident in Louisville’s convincing 78-56 win over long-time rival Western Kentucky Saturday noon.

Pitino has been a long time believer in specific game preparation, in cutting off the head of the foe. It is no accident that, when his teams play their best, the leaders of the opponent have an off game. Oh how many times, when he was coaching UK, were U of L’s leading scorers non-factors in the annual rivalry game?

Too damn many.

That was the story again yesterday, as Louisville, for the first time in over a half century, eked ahead of the Hilltoppers all-time in their series with 40 Ws to WKU’s 39.

Louisville had more than doubled up on the visitors, leading 34-16 at intermission. The Toppers leading scorer and rebounder, sophomore Justin Johnson, had more turnovers (1) than points, zero. As in, squadoosh. Scoreless. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Western Kentucky

Louisville CardFile: Grand Canyon

joaniecard“You always look good, when you make your shots.”  — The Professor

U of L opened yesterday noon’s tilt as if the basket were the Grand Canyon, as well as the severely over-matched foe, a school so named.

A quick rundown of the Cardinals’ first fourteen FG attempts. Ray Spalding slam. Trey Lewis layup. Damion Lee missed jumper. (Dude, didn’t you get the memo?) Spalding follow tip. Lee trey. (That’s better.) Spalding layup. Lee deuce. Quentin Snider triple. Lee jumper. Snider layup. Snider jumper. Snider layup. (Q definitely got the memo. He had 8 assists on the day.) Donovan Mitchell three. Lee another from beyond the arc.

There were also several steals, abundant rebounds, a blocked Antelope shot or two, as well as enough deflections to actually make the coach clap his hands in appreciation.

After which interlude — which I called a “FLURRY!” in my notes, but may have more officially been what Coach K has designated a “BOOM!!” — Louisville led 38-15.

Matz Stockman was taking off his warmups. The visitors from the WAC, having proven themselves more jackalope than antelope, felt like they were combating Class VI rapids on the Colorado River.  Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Grand Canyon

Louisville CardFile: St. Francis (Brooklyn)

joaniecardCorrected 11/25 10:12 am.

As has been the pattern this season, Card Nation attendees who actually showed up at the Yum! were late-ish arriving and small-ish numerically.

By the time many of them arrived at their seats, the rout of U of L’s latest plug du jour was a fait accompli.

Here’s how U of L opened against its fourth absurdly overmatched foe of the season:

Damion Lewis hit 1/2 FTs after being fouled while shooting. Full court press. Chinanu Onuaku missed a one-hand slam on an alley oop. Next trip down he canned a five foot J. Next trip he netted a follow. Full court press. Steal. Lewis tallied a fast break layup. Full court press. Quentin Snider banked in a sweet layin after a crossover dribble to lose his man. Full court press. Steal. Lewis scored on a follow shot. Full court press. Lewis tally +1.

15:37. First TV timeout. Cards 14 points, 4 steals, Terriers 4 points.

BALL GAME!!!

Boredom ensued. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: St. Francis (Brooklyn)