Monday Hoops

[Smitty]

alright, i hate when i love a game this much, but i'm scuffling as badly as i have been the last week. so i'll make a concession to the tailspin, and drop this play a unit. still a strong play for me.

louisville (-9.5) 3 units. this game sets up perfectly for a cardinal blowout. i said earlier in the year that syracuse is one of the worst passing teams i've ever seen. that bodes poorly against a team that brings the defensive pressure like louisville. 'cuse is also not a deep team. another strike against a team that will play defense the entire court for 40 minutes. several keys against a zone... you have to be able to hit the 3-point shot and you need a big man who can pass from the free throw line. check both off for the cardinals, who love to shoot the 3 and padgett can pass out of the high post.
'cuse is off a game they needed to win against a very overrated georgetown team. that win will help to overvalue the orange tonight.
louisville has covered 5 straight. they've won their last 5 home games by an average of 15 points.
all cards tonight. unless... the way i've been running... they can't buy a 3-pointer and padgett gets in early foul trouble. then i'm screwed.

 

[Smitty]

ah, i love cold streaks... could i have been any more prophetic? padgett played maybe 5 minutes because of foul trouble and louisville made 3 of 15 3-pointers (after, i think, making their first 2. or 2 of their first 3.). padgett had at least 2 assists before sitting down.

 

[mjalam]

you got the cover...he probably should have just let the clock run down, but he didn't

 

[Smitty]

easily one of the luckiest covers i've ever had. especially considering how cold i've been running. i still can't believe the end of that game... louisville missing one free throw after another... syracuse not even fouling at the end... and padgett looking up court with just a few seconds to go to find a wide open guy for a dunk. hell, i expected cuse's 3-pointer at the buzzer to fall. i don't win many like that, but i sure lose a lot like that. sick, sick, sick way to hit a huge play.