we're gathering info on this week's sched in this particular conference.
anyone have any insights?
gurus, come on out!!
anyone have any insights?
gurus, come on out!!
Info on the Conference USA: week of jan 19
- Thread starter TORONTO-VIGILANTE
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Men's Basketball
1.19.2004
Men's Basketball Notebook - Jan. 19
Andre Owens
Houston is the only the Conference USA team in action on Monday, stepping out of league play to host Centenary. DePaul's Drake Diener was selected as the C-USA Player of the Week for his play in Blue Demon wins over Memphis and UAB last week. Cincinnati is one of four remaining unbeaten teams in the nation entering Wednesday's meeting with Louisville (ESPN, 7 p.m., ET). Read about this and more in the latest C-USA Men's Basketball Notebook.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
DePaul's DRAKE DIENER was named the Conference USA Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the period ending Jan. 19. Diener helped his Blue Demon squad to home victories over Memphis and UAB last week.
DRAKE DIENER, DE PAUL
Jr., G, Fond du Lac, Wis.
Diener was instrumental in a pair of DePaul Conference USA home wins last week as the Blue Demons defeated Memphis, 82-73, and UAB, 75-64. Against the Tigers on Jan. 13, Diener scored a career-best 27 points, including 20 in the first half. His six first-half three-point field goals also tied the most by a DePaul player at Allstate Arena and was the second-best performance in school history. Last Saturday, Diener added 14 points in the win over the Blazers, including hitting an important three pointer that helped stop a UAB rally when the Blazers had cut the DePaul lead to two points. For the week, he shot 67 percent from both the field (14-of-21) and from three-point range (8-of-12).
BEST STARTS
At 13-0, Cincinnati now owns the three best starts in league history. The Bearcats opened the 1998-99 season with a league-record 15-0 start, finishing 27-6 (12-4). In the first year of C-USA, UC also reeled off a 12-0 ledger en route to a 28-5 (11-3) mark and the first league tourney title. Both times Cincinnati won the Conference USA regular-season title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
THE FINAL FOUR
Cincinnati is one of four undefeated teams in the country. No. 13 Pittsburgh leads the nation with an 18-0 record. No. 6 Saint Joseph?s is second with a 15-0 record. The other unbeaten team is No. 3 Stanford (14-0).
RED HOT CARDS
At 13-1, Louisville is one of six teams in the nation with one loss on the season. The Cardinals only setback of the year came in their season opener to Iowa, 70-69 in overtime, at the John Wooden Tradition on Nov. 29. Since then, U of L has reeled off 13 consecutive victories.
MEMPHIS EXTENDS CALIPARI?S CONTRACT
The University of Memphis and head basketball coach JOHN CALIPARI have reached a contract agreement that will have the nationally-recognized coach directing the Tiger program through 2010. The contract extension was finalized by all parties on Sunday afternoon.
Calipari's new extension adds three years to the two years he had remaining on his old contract and carries the 44-year old coach through the 2010 campaign.
Calipari came to the U of M in 2000-01 and has served as the Tigers' head coach for three-and-a-half seasons. He has compiled an overall record of 81-35 at Memphis. During his 12 years as a collegiate coach, he has built a mark of 274-106, ranking him among the top 15 winningest active coaches.
AROUND C-USA
CHARLOTTE (10-4, 2-1): Charlotte dropped its first Conference USA contest of the season, 91-69, at Memphis on Saturday. The 49ers have played eight of their 14 games on the road this year, posting a 5-3 mark. CURTIS WITHERS tallied a team-best 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Withers has pulled down at least seven boards in each game this season. EDDIE BASDEN added 10 points and nine rebounds. DEMON BROWN, who scored seven points, moved into the Charlotte?s top 10 for assists with 375 after providing six on versus the Tigers. He is currently 14th in C-USA annals in assists. The Niners open a three-game homestand on Tuesday when they host No. 21 Marquette.
CINCINNATI (13-0, 4-0): No. 7 Cincinnati improved to 13-0 on the season with an 85-75 win over TCU on Saturday. It was the Bearcats? 200th victory at Fifth Third Arena at Shoemaker Center and they are 200-26 (.886) since opening the venue in 1989. TONY BOBBITT came off the bench to lead UC in scoring with a game-high 16 points. JASON MAXIELL and JAMES WHITE each contributed 15 points, while FIELD WILLIAMS added 14. It is Cincinnati?s ninth win this year by 20 points or more and the Bearcats lead C-USA in scoring margin (25.2). The Bearcats travel to No. 8 Louisville on Wednesday (ESPN, 7 p.m.). UC won its last meeting with the Cardinals, 101-80, at home last year.
DE PAUL (9-6, 2-2): DePaul won its second-consecutive Conference USA win, a 75-64 decision over UAB on Saturday. Also for the second time last week, the Blue Demons held their opponent to below 40 percent from the field. QUEMONT GREER led all scorers with 18 points. SAMMY MEIJA added 16, while DRAKE DIENER and DELONTE HOLLAND chipped in 14 and 10 points, respectively. DePaul travels to TCU on Tuesday. The Blue Demons won last season?s only meeting, 71-65, at home.
EAST CAROLINA (8-6, 0-4): East Carolina dropped its fourth Conference USA decision, 55-53, at Houston on Saturday. LUKE McKAY scored a career-high 14 points to lead the Pirates and DERRICK WILEY added 10. COREY ROUSE contributed eight points, while MOUSSA BADIANE pulled down 13 rebounds, including 10 on the defensive end. East Carolina is off until Jan. 24, when it travels to Saint Louis. ECU lost both meetings with the Billikens last season.
HOUSTON (7-7, 1-3): Houston earned its first Conference USA victory of the year, 55-53, at home over East Carolina. ANDRE OWENS had a game-high 21 points and provided five assists. MARCUS OLIVER and ANWAR FERGUSON each added nine points. The Cougars close out the non-conference portion of their schedule on Monday when they host Centenary. UH enters the contest with a 6-4 record in non-league action.
LOUISVILLE (13-1, 4-0): No. 8 Louisville won its 13th consecutive game, 79-58, over visiting Tulane on Saturday. The Cardinals have 14 straight contests at Freedom Hall, dating back to last season, including 9-0 this year. U of L is 40-5 under head coach RICK PITINO at home. LUKE WHITEHEAD had a team-best 16 points and nine rebounds. TAQUAN DEAN scored 15 points, while LARRY O?BANNON added 13. Dean has had three or more three pointers 10 times this season. OTIS GEORGE set a career-high with 12 rebounds. Louisville hosts No. 7 Cincinnati on Wednesday (ESPN, 7 p.m. ET). The Cardinals won their last meeting with the Bearcats at Freedom Hall, 77-71, last season.
MARQUETTE (11-4, 2-2): No. 21 Marquette suffered its second conference loss of the week, 81-63, to Southern Miss in Green Bay, Wis., on Friday. Freshman DAMEON MASON led the Golden Eagles with a career-best 17 points. It is the second consecutive game that Mason has achieved his career-high in points, who had 13 in MU?s last game against No. 8 Cincinnati on Jan. 14. The combo of TRAVIS DIENER and SCOTT MERRITT each contributed 16 points. Marquette travels to Charlotte on Tuesday.
MEMPHIS (10-4, 1-2): Memphis won its first C-USA game of the year with a 91-69 home victory over Charlotte on Saturday. The 22-point margin of victory is the Tigers? second largest this season. They defeated Fordham by 30 (94-64) on Nov. 22. SEAN BANKS scored a career-high 29 points and had 10 rebounds for his third double-double effort of the season. ANTONIO BURKS and JEREMY HUNT also had double-doubles with Burks posting 18 points and 11 assists and Hunt tallying 14 points and 10 rebounds. ANTHONY RICE added 10 points. Memphis travels to Tulane on Tuesday.
1.19.2004
Men's Basketball Notebook - Jan. 19
Andre Owens
Houston is the only the Conference USA team in action on Monday, stepping out of league play to host Centenary. DePaul's Drake Diener was selected as the C-USA Player of the Week for his play in Blue Demon wins over Memphis and UAB last week. Cincinnati is one of four remaining unbeaten teams in the nation entering Wednesday's meeting with Louisville (ESPN, 7 p.m., ET). Read about this and more in the latest C-USA Men's Basketball Notebook.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
DePaul's DRAKE DIENER was named the Conference USA Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the period ending Jan. 19. Diener helped his Blue Demon squad to home victories over Memphis and UAB last week.
DRAKE DIENER, DE PAUL
Jr., G, Fond du Lac, Wis.
Diener was instrumental in a pair of DePaul Conference USA home wins last week as the Blue Demons defeated Memphis, 82-73, and UAB, 75-64. Against the Tigers on Jan. 13, Diener scored a career-best 27 points, including 20 in the first half. His six first-half three-point field goals also tied the most by a DePaul player at Allstate Arena and was the second-best performance in school history. Last Saturday, Diener added 14 points in the win over the Blazers, including hitting an important three pointer that helped stop a UAB rally when the Blazers had cut the DePaul lead to two points. For the week, he shot 67 percent from both the field (14-of-21) and from three-point range (8-of-12).
BEST STARTS
At 13-0, Cincinnati now owns the three best starts in league history. The Bearcats opened the 1998-99 season with a league-record 15-0 start, finishing 27-6 (12-4). In the first year of C-USA, UC also reeled off a 12-0 ledger en route to a 28-5 (11-3) mark and the first league tourney title. Both times Cincinnati won the Conference USA regular-season title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
THE FINAL FOUR
Cincinnati is one of four undefeated teams in the country. No. 13 Pittsburgh leads the nation with an 18-0 record. No. 6 Saint Joseph?s is second with a 15-0 record. The other unbeaten team is No. 3 Stanford (14-0).
RED HOT CARDS
At 13-1, Louisville is one of six teams in the nation with one loss on the season. The Cardinals only setback of the year came in their season opener to Iowa, 70-69 in overtime, at the John Wooden Tradition on Nov. 29. Since then, U of L has reeled off 13 consecutive victories.
MEMPHIS EXTENDS CALIPARI?S CONTRACT
The University of Memphis and head basketball coach JOHN CALIPARI have reached a contract agreement that will have the nationally-recognized coach directing the Tiger program through 2010. The contract extension was finalized by all parties on Sunday afternoon.
Calipari's new extension adds three years to the two years he had remaining on his old contract and carries the 44-year old coach through the 2010 campaign.
Calipari came to the U of M in 2000-01 and has served as the Tigers' head coach for three-and-a-half seasons. He has compiled an overall record of 81-35 at Memphis. During his 12 years as a collegiate coach, he has built a mark of 274-106, ranking him among the top 15 winningest active coaches.
AROUND C-USA
CHARLOTTE (10-4, 2-1): Charlotte dropped its first Conference USA contest of the season, 91-69, at Memphis on Saturday. The 49ers have played eight of their 14 games on the road this year, posting a 5-3 mark. CURTIS WITHERS tallied a team-best 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Withers has pulled down at least seven boards in each game this season. EDDIE BASDEN added 10 points and nine rebounds. DEMON BROWN, who scored seven points, moved into the Charlotte?s top 10 for assists with 375 after providing six on versus the Tigers. He is currently 14th in C-USA annals in assists. The Niners open a three-game homestand on Tuesday when they host No. 21 Marquette.
CINCINNATI (13-0, 4-0): No. 7 Cincinnati improved to 13-0 on the season with an 85-75 win over TCU on Saturday. It was the Bearcats? 200th victory at Fifth Third Arena at Shoemaker Center and they are 200-26 (.886) since opening the venue in 1989. TONY BOBBITT came off the bench to lead UC in scoring with a game-high 16 points. JASON MAXIELL and JAMES WHITE each contributed 15 points, while FIELD WILLIAMS added 14. It is Cincinnati?s ninth win this year by 20 points or more and the Bearcats lead C-USA in scoring margin (25.2). The Bearcats travel to No. 8 Louisville on Wednesday (ESPN, 7 p.m.). UC won its last meeting with the Cardinals, 101-80, at home last year.
DE PAUL (9-6, 2-2): DePaul won its second-consecutive Conference USA win, a 75-64 decision over UAB on Saturday. Also for the second time last week, the Blue Demons held their opponent to below 40 percent from the field. QUEMONT GREER led all scorers with 18 points. SAMMY MEIJA added 16, while DRAKE DIENER and DELONTE HOLLAND chipped in 14 and 10 points, respectively. DePaul travels to TCU on Tuesday. The Blue Demons won last season?s only meeting, 71-65, at home.
EAST CAROLINA (8-6, 0-4): East Carolina dropped its fourth Conference USA decision, 55-53, at Houston on Saturday. LUKE McKAY scored a career-high 14 points to lead the Pirates and DERRICK WILEY added 10. COREY ROUSE contributed eight points, while MOUSSA BADIANE pulled down 13 rebounds, including 10 on the defensive end. East Carolina is off until Jan. 24, when it travels to Saint Louis. ECU lost both meetings with the Billikens last season.
HOUSTON (7-7, 1-3): Houston earned its first Conference USA victory of the year, 55-53, at home over East Carolina. ANDRE OWENS had a game-high 21 points and provided five assists. MARCUS OLIVER and ANWAR FERGUSON each added nine points. The Cougars close out the non-conference portion of their schedule on Monday when they host Centenary. UH enters the contest with a 6-4 record in non-league action.
LOUISVILLE (13-1, 4-0): No. 8 Louisville won its 13th consecutive game, 79-58, over visiting Tulane on Saturday. The Cardinals have 14 straight contests at Freedom Hall, dating back to last season, including 9-0 this year. U of L is 40-5 under head coach RICK PITINO at home. LUKE WHITEHEAD had a team-best 16 points and nine rebounds. TAQUAN DEAN scored 15 points, while LARRY O?BANNON added 13. Dean has had three or more three pointers 10 times this season. OTIS GEORGE set a career-high with 12 rebounds. Louisville hosts No. 7 Cincinnati on Wednesday (ESPN, 7 p.m. ET). The Cardinals won their last meeting with the Bearcats at Freedom Hall, 77-71, last season.
MARQUETTE (11-4, 2-2): No. 21 Marquette suffered its second conference loss of the week, 81-63, to Southern Miss in Green Bay, Wis., on Friday. Freshman DAMEON MASON led the Golden Eagles with a career-best 17 points. It is the second consecutive game that Mason has achieved his career-high in points, who had 13 in MU?s last game against No. 8 Cincinnati on Jan. 14. The combo of TRAVIS DIENER and SCOTT MERRITT each contributed 16 points. Marquette travels to Charlotte on Tuesday.
MEMPHIS (10-4, 1-2): Memphis won its first C-USA game of the year with a 91-69 home victory over Charlotte on Saturday. The 22-point margin of victory is the Tigers? second largest this season. They defeated Fordham by 30 (94-64) on Nov. 22. SEAN BANKS scored a career-high 29 points and had 10 rebounds for his third double-double effort of the season. ANTONIO BURKS and JEREMY HUNT also had double-doubles with Burks posting 18 points and 11 assists and Hunt tallying 14 points and 10 rebounds. ANTHONY RICE added 10 points. Memphis travels to Tulane on Tuesday.
SAINT LOUIS (10-5, 3-1): Saint Louis defeated USF, 70-52, on Saturday at home. Four Billiken starters scored in double figures lead by 18 from CHRIS SLOAN. REGGIE BRYANT added 17 and JOSH FISHER netted 13. TOM FRERICKS rounded out the double-figure scorers with 11 points. Fisher led all rebounders with nine. SLU completes out its three-game homestand on Jan. 24 when it hosts East Carolina. Saint Louis swept last season?s two meetings with the Pirates.
USF (6-7, 0-2): USF fell to 0-2 in C-USA play with a 70-52 loss at Saint Louis on Saturday. The Bulls were led by TERRENCE LEATHER and BRIAN SWIFT in the scoring column with 12 and 10 points, respectively. On Tuesday, USF travels to Birmingham, Ala., to face UAB. The Bulls are 10-9 versus the Blazers since the beginning of C-USA play in 1995. This will be a homecoming for USF head coach ROBERT McCULLUM, a native of Birmingham, playing at Hayes High School (1970-72), earned his bachelor?s degree from Birmingham-Southern (1976) and got his starting in the coaching ranks at Council Junior High School (1976-77).
SOUTHERN MISS (9-6, 2-2): Southern Miss upended No. 21 Marquette, 83-61, on Friday in Green Bay, Wis. The victory marked the fourth win in five games played versus MU in the state of Wisconsin for the Golden Eagles under head coach JAMES GREEN. For the first time since its Dec. 6 81-61 triumph over Samford, USM placed five players in double-figure scoring. GREG JOHNSON notched a game-high 24 points with 17 coming in the second half. DAVID HAYWOOD had 14, while JASPER JOHNSON added 13 points off the bench. CHARLES GAINES and CLEMENT CARTER scored 11 and 10 points, respectively. Gaines had a game-best nine rebounds. Southern Miss has the week off before hosting No. 7 Cincinnati on Jan. 24.
TCU (6-9, 2-2): TCU suffered an 85-57 setback at No. 8 Cincinnati on Saturday. The Horned Frogs are 0-4 all-time versus the Bearcats. MARCUS SHROPSHIRE and NUCLEUS SMITH led TCU with 11 points each. The Horned Frogs host DePaul on Tuesday. TCU is 2-3 all-time against the Blue Demons, but has won the only meeting between the two in Conference USA play, 92-83, on Feb. 6, 2002, its first season in the league.
TULANE (6-7, 0-3): Tulane fell to 0-3 in Conference USA play following a 79-58 loss at Louisville. The Green Wave had a trio of players score in double figures with QUINCY DAVIS topping the list with 16 points. WAYNE TINSLEY recorded his first career double-double performance with 14 points and 10 rebounds. All of Tinsley?s rebounds came on the defensive end. MARCUS KINZER?s 15 points rounded out Tulane?s double-digit scorers. The Wave is at home on Tuesday to host Memphis.
UAB (9-5, 2-1): UAB lost its first Conference USA game of the season, 75-64, at DePaul on Saturday. The Blazers shot a season-low 38 percent from the floor. GABE KENNEDY recorded his second double-double of the season and the fifth of his career with a team-best 17 points and game-high 12 rebounds. DONNELL TAYLOR added 10 points for the UAB, while MORRIS FINLEY had nine. The Blazers return home to host USF on Tuesday. UAB owns a 30-19 advantage in the all-time series with the Bulls.
USF (6-7, 0-2): USF fell to 0-2 in C-USA play with a 70-52 loss at Saint Louis on Saturday. The Bulls were led by TERRENCE LEATHER and BRIAN SWIFT in the scoring column with 12 and 10 points, respectively. On Tuesday, USF travels to Birmingham, Ala., to face UAB. The Bulls are 10-9 versus the Blazers since the beginning of C-USA play in 1995. This will be a homecoming for USF head coach ROBERT McCULLUM, a native of Birmingham, playing at Hayes High School (1970-72), earned his bachelor?s degree from Birmingham-Southern (1976) and got his starting in the coaching ranks at Council Junior High School (1976-77).
SOUTHERN MISS (9-6, 2-2): Southern Miss upended No. 21 Marquette, 83-61, on Friday in Green Bay, Wis. The victory marked the fourth win in five games played versus MU in the state of Wisconsin for the Golden Eagles under head coach JAMES GREEN. For the first time since its Dec. 6 81-61 triumph over Samford, USM placed five players in double-figure scoring. GREG JOHNSON notched a game-high 24 points with 17 coming in the second half. DAVID HAYWOOD had 14, while JASPER JOHNSON added 13 points off the bench. CHARLES GAINES and CLEMENT CARTER scored 11 and 10 points, respectively. Gaines had a game-best nine rebounds. Southern Miss has the week off before hosting No. 7 Cincinnati on Jan. 24.
TCU (6-9, 2-2): TCU suffered an 85-57 setback at No. 8 Cincinnati on Saturday. The Horned Frogs are 0-4 all-time versus the Bearcats. MARCUS SHROPSHIRE and NUCLEUS SMITH led TCU with 11 points each. The Horned Frogs host DePaul on Tuesday. TCU is 2-3 all-time against the Blue Demons, but has won the only meeting between the two in Conference USA play, 92-83, on Feb. 6, 2002, its first season in the league.
TULANE (6-7, 0-3): Tulane fell to 0-3 in Conference USA play following a 79-58 loss at Louisville. The Green Wave had a trio of players score in double figures with QUINCY DAVIS topping the list with 16 points. WAYNE TINSLEY recorded his first career double-double performance with 14 points and 10 rebounds. All of Tinsley?s rebounds came on the defensive end. MARCUS KINZER?s 15 points rounded out Tulane?s double-digit scorers. The Wave is at home on Tuesday to host Memphis.
UAB (9-5, 2-1): UAB lost its first Conference USA game of the season, 75-64, at DePaul on Saturday. The Blazers shot a season-low 38 percent from the floor. GABE KENNEDY recorded his second double-double of the season and the fifth of his career with a team-best 17 points and game-high 12 rebounds. DONNELL TAYLOR added 10 points for the UAB, while MORRIS FINLEY had nine. The Blazers return home to host USF on Tuesday. UAB owns a 30-19 advantage in the all-time series with the Bulls.
Bearcats, Cardinals nearly twins
By ERIC CRAWFORD
The Courier-Journal
NEXT FOR THE CARDINALS
Who: Cincinnati
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Freedom Hall
TV: ESPN
WHAT THE BEARCATS ARE SAYING
Check out UC's take on the game from the pages of The Cincinnati Enquirer.
"The big thing we've got to do ... is keep (the Bearcats) away from their big runs," U of L coach Rick Pitino said.
Not long ago, the University of Cincinnati basketball program's view of the Louisville Cardinals was through the rear-view mirror. But when the teams meet at 7 tonight in Freedom Hall, it will be a clash of mirror images.
U of L (13-1, 4-0) not only has caught up quickly with the Bearcats (13-0, 4-0) on the Conference USA and national scenes, but the Cards have done it with the same hard-nosed mental approach that UC has used for success.
Look into the mirror:
U of L is ranked No.5 and Cincinnati No.6 in The Associated Press poll; in the USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll, the rankings are reversed.
Both teams are on 13-game winning streaks.
They are the nation's two biggest bullies. UC is beating opponents by an NCAA-DivisionI best average of 25.2 points a game. UofL ranks second at 21.9.
Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins ranks sixth among active NCAA coaches with a winning percentage of .742. Pitino ranks seventh at .738.
Both teams have deep benches. Cincinnati has 13 players averaging double-digit minutes and gets 35.7 points per game from its bench. UofL has 10 players averaging double-digit minutes and gets 25.1 points a game from its bench.
Both teams wear down opponents and feed off turnovers created by full-court pressure, and both are known for physical defense. UofL gives up 58.2 points per game, the Bearcats 58.4.
"It's just going to be all-around fun," UofL guard Taquan Dean said. "We'll see who is in better condition."
Said Pitino: "It's a game where you have to be great at every facet to win. You have to play it to the last second to win. It is two teams highly ranked.
"They're a great basketball team. They're very deep. They have tremendous outside shooting, and they go on unbelievable runs off their defense. They're great on the break, great on the backboard. We're not going to fatigue them, and they're not going to fatigue us.
"This will be based on the old-school fundamentals of field-goal percentage and free-throw percentage, rebounding and turnovers."
But the mirror-images analysis breaks down in two areas. The first is not a key. Huggins wears a windbreaker on the sidelines, Pitino designer suits.
The second is more important. Cincinnati has a powerful post tandem of Jason Maxiell and Kareem Johnson, with 6-10, 260-pound Robert Whaley and 6-7, 240-pound Eric Hicks coming off the bench. That half-ton quartet outweighs UofL's first- and second-string centers and power forwards by 85 pounds.
Maxiell will have an edge in strength over UofL's post players, who will be challenged to keep him off the boards. UofL inside players Kendall Dartez, Otis George and Nouha Diakite, meanwhile, have been effective blocking shots and using their quickness to set up double-teams, and Dartez and George can be effective away from the basket.
UC has been a bit banged up. Maxiell has been slowed by an ankle injury, and forward Armein Kirkland has missed three games with a knee injury, but both are expected to play tonight. Hicks, a sophomore forward, has been suffering from the flu but should play.
Huggins said many of the teams' strengths may cancel each other out. That leads him to think one thing will be a key.
"It comes down to what it always comes down to: The winning team has to make shots," Huggins said. "They're going to defend; we're going to defend. They're going to rebound; we're going to rebound. It's just that people are going to have to make some key shots.
"They're extremely well-coached. Rick may be the best college basketball coach in the country. ... Their spacing is terrific. They run great offense. They do a great job playing man-to-man defense. They score off their pressure. They do a great job."
U of L has won four C-USA games by an average of 27.5 points, but its offense has bogged down at times over the past two games. Sophomore standout Francisco Garcia has fouled out of both games as the Cards have racked up more reach-in fouls than in any stretch this season.
Keeping away from those fouls will be a major issue tonight for the Cards. Pitino said the reach-ins are borne of frustration from the offensive end.
"Reece (Gaines) used to do it all the time," he said. "You're mad at yourself for making a bad play on offense, so you try to steal it right back and get a foul."
He has tried to prepare his team to deal with some frustration tonight.
"Our guys watch film, and they know what they apply to teams," Pitino said. "Now they're going to get it back. I tell them, `You're not pitching a perfect game if you're going up against Babe Ruth and Lou Gherig.' By that I mean, you're playing a team with unbelievable defense and pressure; you're going to turn the ball over. You're not going to pitch a perfect game. But what you have to do is cause the same type of defensive pain. And if you make a mistake, turn around and erase it with good defense."
The Cincinnati press is geared more toward producing turnovers with full-court and half-court traps. UofL's press has served more to wear down foes and dictate tempo. Pitino said UofL will need to be creative in breaking UC's pressure.
"You can't give them a steady diet of anything," he said. "If you beat their pressure a certain way, they'll make adjustments and hurt you. If you're too patient, they'll turn it over. You've got to take advantages when they're there and run the offense when it's there. The big thing we've got to do, though, is keep them away from their big runs."
In four meetings since Pitino has taken over as coach at UofL, the Cards have won both games in Freedom Hall, and the Bearcats have scored blowout wins in their Shoemaker Center. Huggins said the rejuvenation of the rivalry has been good for the schools and for C-USA.
"It's a big game not just in the conference, but a big game nationally," Huggins said. "You'd rather win than lose, but I'm not convinced that that will decide the championship. They've still got to come back to our place, and we both have a lot of hard conference games remaining."
Said U of L athletic director Tom Jurich: "It's a great game for the new Big East (Conference, where both schools will begin play in 2005-06). I have to think the Big East people will enjoy watching this game."
By ERIC CRAWFORD
The Courier-Journal
NEXT FOR THE CARDINALS
Who: Cincinnati
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Freedom Hall
TV: ESPN
WHAT THE BEARCATS ARE SAYING
Check out UC's take on the game from the pages of The Cincinnati Enquirer.
"The big thing we've got to do ... is keep (the Bearcats) away from their big runs," U of L coach Rick Pitino said.
Not long ago, the University of Cincinnati basketball program's view of the Louisville Cardinals was through the rear-view mirror. But when the teams meet at 7 tonight in Freedom Hall, it will be a clash of mirror images.
U of L (13-1, 4-0) not only has caught up quickly with the Bearcats (13-0, 4-0) on the Conference USA and national scenes, but the Cards have done it with the same hard-nosed mental approach that UC has used for success.
Look into the mirror:
U of L is ranked No.5 and Cincinnati No.6 in The Associated Press poll; in the USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll, the rankings are reversed.
Both teams are on 13-game winning streaks.
They are the nation's two biggest bullies. UC is beating opponents by an NCAA-DivisionI best average of 25.2 points a game. UofL ranks second at 21.9.
Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins ranks sixth among active NCAA coaches with a winning percentage of .742. Pitino ranks seventh at .738.
Both teams have deep benches. Cincinnati has 13 players averaging double-digit minutes and gets 35.7 points per game from its bench. UofL has 10 players averaging double-digit minutes and gets 25.1 points a game from its bench.
Both teams wear down opponents and feed off turnovers created by full-court pressure, and both are known for physical defense. UofL gives up 58.2 points per game, the Bearcats 58.4.
"It's just going to be all-around fun," UofL guard Taquan Dean said. "We'll see who is in better condition."
Said Pitino: "It's a game where you have to be great at every facet to win. You have to play it to the last second to win. It is two teams highly ranked.
"They're a great basketball team. They're very deep. They have tremendous outside shooting, and they go on unbelievable runs off their defense. They're great on the break, great on the backboard. We're not going to fatigue them, and they're not going to fatigue us.
"This will be based on the old-school fundamentals of field-goal percentage and free-throw percentage, rebounding and turnovers."
But the mirror-images analysis breaks down in two areas. The first is not a key. Huggins wears a windbreaker on the sidelines, Pitino designer suits.
The second is more important. Cincinnati has a powerful post tandem of Jason Maxiell and Kareem Johnson, with 6-10, 260-pound Robert Whaley and 6-7, 240-pound Eric Hicks coming off the bench. That half-ton quartet outweighs UofL's first- and second-string centers and power forwards by 85 pounds.
Maxiell will have an edge in strength over UofL's post players, who will be challenged to keep him off the boards. UofL inside players Kendall Dartez, Otis George and Nouha Diakite, meanwhile, have been effective blocking shots and using their quickness to set up double-teams, and Dartez and George can be effective away from the basket.
UC has been a bit banged up. Maxiell has been slowed by an ankle injury, and forward Armein Kirkland has missed three games with a knee injury, but both are expected to play tonight. Hicks, a sophomore forward, has been suffering from the flu but should play.
Huggins said many of the teams' strengths may cancel each other out. That leads him to think one thing will be a key.
"It comes down to what it always comes down to: The winning team has to make shots," Huggins said. "They're going to defend; we're going to defend. They're going to rebound; we're going to rebound. It's just that people are going to have to make some key shots.
"They're extremely well-coached. Rick may be the best college basketball coach in the country. ... Their spacing is terrific. They run great offense. They do a great job playing man-to-man defense. They score off their pressure. They do a great job."
U of L has won four C-USA games by an average of 27.5 points, but its offense has bogged down at times over the past two games. Sophomore standout Francisco Garcia has fouled out of both games as the Cards have racked up more reach-in fouls than in any stretch this season.
Keeping away from those fouls will be a major issue tonight for the Cards. Pitino said the reach-ins are borne of frustration from the offensive end.
"Reece (Gaines) used to do it all the time," he said. "You're mad at yourself for making a bad play on offense, so you try to steal it right back and get a foul."
He has tried to prepare his team to deal with some frustration tonight.
"Our guys watch film, and they know what they apply to teams," Pitino said. "Now they're going to get it back. I tell them, `You're not pitching a perfect game if you're going up against Babe Ruth and Lou Gherig.' By that I mean, you're playing a team with unbelievable defense and pressure; you're going to turn the ball over. You're not going to pitch a perfect game. But what you have to do is cause the same type of defensive pain. And if you make a mistake, turn around and erase it with good defense."
The Cincinnati press is geared more toward producing turnovers with full-court and half-court traps. UofL's press has served more to wear down foes and dictate tempo. Pitino said UofL will need to be creative in breaking UC's pressure.
"You can't give them a steady diet of anything," he said. "If you beat their pressure a certain way, they'll make adjustments and hurt you. If you're too patient, they'll turn it over. You've got to take advantages when they're there and run the offense when it's there. The big thing we've got to do, though, is keep them away from their big runs."
In four meetings since Pitino has taken over as coach at UofL, the Cards have won both games in Freedom Hall, and the Bearcats have scored blowout wins in their Shoemaker Center. Huggins said the rejuvenation of the rivalry has been good for the schools and for C-USA.
"It's a big game not just in the conference, but a big game nationally," Huggins said. "You'd rather win than lose, but I'm not convinced that that will decide the championship. They've still got to come back to our place, and we both have a lot of hard conference games remaining."
Said U of L athletic director Tom Jurich: "It's a great game for the new Big East (Conference, where both schools will begin play in 2005-06). I have to think the Big East people will enjoy watching this game."
Cards face C-USA showdown vs. unbeaten, bullying Bearcats
By Russ Brown
KENTUCKY.COM
LOUISVILLE ? Louisville has played two No. 1 teams this season, and beaten them both, but U of L coach Rick Pitino believes neither can compare with the Cardinals' next opponent, Cincinnati.
The Bearcats (13-0) and Cardinals (13-1), Conference USA co-leaders, will match 13-game winning streaks in a showdown with national significance Wednesday night in Freedom Hall (7 p.m., ESPN).
At stake will be the C-USA lead, and much more. Cincinnati is one of just three remaining unbeaten teams (the others are Stanford and St. Joseph's) and hopes to continue its climb toward No. 1. The Bearcats are ranked No. 5 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll and No. 6 by the Associated Press. U of L, which has won 13 in a row in Freedom Hall, is No. 5 in AP and No. 6 in USA Today/ESPN.
"This will be our toughest test because this will be the deepest, most talented defensive team we will face," said Pitino, whose club defeated Florida and Kentucky when each was No. 1. "They're extremely deep. Cincinnati is one of the premier teams in the country. They've done a great job of putting together a group that likes to play together in all phases of the game. It's very exciting because we'll have to be great at every facet of the game to win and you know you have to play until the last second. It should be a hell of a game."
"It's a big game, not just in the conference but nationally,"
Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins said. "You'd obviously rather win than lose, but I'm not convinced it will decide the championship. They've still got to come back to our place (Feb.21) and we've both got a lot of hard conference games to play. We're just beginning conference play."
Having easily dispatched four of C-USA's weak sisters in the last two weeks ? clobbering Southern Miss, South Florida, East Carolina and Tulane by an average margin of 27.5 points ? the Cards say they're looking forward to the tough challenge Cincinnati poses.
"You've got to look forward to playing the Floridas, Kentuckys, Marquettes and Cincinnatis," forward Larry O'Bannon said. "Taking nothing away from the other teams, but you do get adrenalin rushes for these kinds of games."
"I've been waiting for this for a year now," point guard Taquan Dean said. "It's a great rivalry and a great team to play against. I know Huggins is going to have them fired up coming in here, so we have to be fired up too."
U of L has won both of its games against Cincinnati in Freedom Hall under Pitino, beating the Bearcats 74-71 in 2002 and 77-71 last season before being drilled in the rematch in Shoemaker Center 101-80 2 1/2 weeks later.
As Pitino noted, this figures to be a huge test for the Cards, who haven't faced a team with as many ingredients as the Bearcats possess. Under Huggins, Cincinnati has always been known for its aggressive defense; this year the Bearcats also have an explosive offense.
UC can match U of L's athleticism, depth, balanced scoring and in-your-face defense.
Cincinnati leads C-USA in scoring at 83.6 points per game and in field goal percentage at 47.8, and is second in three-point percentage at 39.1. Senior guard Field Williams is shooting 48 percent from three-point range, while Tony Bobbitt is at 36.1. And in Kansas State transfer Nick Williams UC has a point guard who can shoot from outside or penetrate and dish.
Cincinnati has regrouped after a disappointing 17-12 season in which it relinquished the C-USA regular season championship for the first time since the league's inception for the 1995-96 season.
"Cincinnati is a tremendous offensive team that doesn't turn the ball over," Pitino said. "Last year they had some shooting deficiencies and they've ridded themselves of those. Now you take the great defense they play, the relentless rebounding and add the talent on offense and you've got a great team. They go on unbelievable runs. Defensively, they contest every play down the court like we do. They're relentless with their pressure."
And the Cards can't rely on wearing the Bearcats down like they do so many of their opponents because Huggins has at least as much quality depth ? and maybe more ? as Pitino does. Ten Bearcats are averaging double digits in playing time and UC is getting 36 points per game from its bench. Bobbitt, the second-leading scorer (14.4 ppg) and steals leader (2.4), is actually UC's sixth man.
As an indication of Cincinnati's depth, the Bearcats defeated then-No. 21 Marquette in Milwaukee 85-73 last week without starting forward Armein Kirkland (sprained knee) and with only four points from leading score Jason Maxiell, who is averaging 15.
Maxiell, who is also UC's leading rebounder (7.8), suffered a sprained ankle in Saturday's 85-57 rout of TCU, but Huggins said he expects him to play against U of L.
UC forced Marquette and its outstanding point guard, Travis Diener, into 16 first-half turnovers. The Bearcats lead C-USA in turnover margin at +10.8 per game (U of L is a distant third at 4.3), forcing 23 errors per outing. They've held teams to 38.2 percent field goal shooting and they lead the nation in scoring margin at +25.2.
But it's the Bearcats' aggressive style of play that has caught the Cardinals' attention.
"They're very physical," Dean said. "They'll try to bully you and get a lot of turnovers. They're going to come in here ready to tear our heads off and we have to be ready to fight back. We have to take care of the ball and be aggressive.
"Huggins stresses knocking the opposition down every time down the court. They try to intimidate people and they're going to come in here thinking they can do that to us, too. But we're not going to back down.
"It's going to come down to defense because both of us are going to get after each other and whoever locks down defensively will win. It's going to be all-around fun. It's going to be a great game."
Aside from Cincinnati's pressure, U of L's biggest challenge figures to be battling the more muscular and rugged Bearcats on the interior, both offensively and defensively, and on the glass. UC has outrebounded its last five opponents by an average margin of eight. Maxiell and 6-6 sophomore Eric Hicks are two of the best offensive rebounders in C-USA.
"That's what Cincinnati's reputation is, being bangers and bruisers and everything like that," forward Luke Whitehead said. "We've got to make sure we come out and continue to play aggressively like we've been playing all year. We'll definitely have to come with our best basketball to win."
Huggins thinks the team that shoots the best will probably win. "It comes down to what it always comes down to. . .a team has to make shots," Huggins said. "They're going to defend, we're going to defend. They're going to rebound, we're going to rebound. People are going to have to make some key shots."
By Russ Brown
KENTUCKY.COM
LOUISVILLE ? Louisville has played two No. 1 teams this season, and beaten them both, but U of L coach Rick Pitino believes neither can compare with the Cardinals' next opponent, Cincinnati.
The Bearcats (13-0) and Cardinals (13-1), Conference USA co-leaders, will match 13-game winning streaks in a showdown with national significance Wednesday night in Freedom Hall (7 p.m., ESPN).
At stake will be the C-USA lead, and much more. Cincinnati is one of just three remaining unbeaten teams (the others are Stanford and St. Joseph's) and hopes to continue its climb toward No. 1. The Bearcats are ranked No. 5 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll and No. 6 by the Associated Press. U of L, which has won 13 in a row in Freedom Hall, is No. 5 in AP and No. 6 in USA Today/ESPN.
"This will be our toughest test because this will be the deepest, most talented defensive team we will face," said Pitino, whose club defeated Florida and Kentucky when each was No. 1. "They're extremely deep. Cincinnati is one of the premier teams in the country. They've done a great job of putting together a group that likes to play together in all phases of the game. It's very exciting because we'll have to be great at every facet of the game to win and you know you have to play until the last second. It should be a hell of a game."
"It's a big game, not just in the conference but nationally,"
Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins said. "You'd obviously rather win than lose, but I'm not convinced it will decide the championship. They've still got to come back to our place (Feb.21) and we've both got a lot of hard conference games to play. We're just beginning conference play."
Having easily dispatched four of C-USA's weak sisters in the last two weeks ? clobbering Southern Miss, South Florida, East Carolina and Tulane by an average margin of 27.5 points ? the Cards say they're looking forward to the tough challenge Cincinnati poses.
"You've got to look forward to playing the Floridas, Kentuckys, Marquettes and Cincinnatis," forward Larry O'Bannon said. "Taking nothing away from the other teams, but you do get adrenalin rushes for these kinds of games."
"I've been waiting for this for a year now," point guard Taquan Dean said. "It's a great rivalry and a great team to play against. I know Huggins is going to have them fired up coming in here, so we have to be fired up too."
U of L has won both of its games against Cincinnati in Freedom Hall under Pitino, beating the Bearcats 74-71 in 2002 and 77-71 last season before being drilled in the rematch in Shoemaker Center 101-80 2 1/2 weeks later.
As Pitino noted, this figures to be a huge test for the Cards, who haven't faced a team with as many ingredients as the Bearcats possess. Under Huggins, Cincinnati has always been known for its aggressive defense; this year the Bearcats also have an explosive offense.
UC can match U of L's athleticism, depth, balanced scoring and in-your-face defense.
Cincinnati leads C-USA in scoring at 83.6 points per game and in field goal percentage at 47.8, and is second in three-point percentage at 39.1. Senior guard Field Williams is shooting 48 percent from three-point range, while Tony Bobbitt is at 36.1. And in Kansas State transfer Nick Williams UC has a point guard who can shoot from outside or penetrate and dish.
Cincinnati has regrouped after a disappointing 17-12 season in which it relinquished the C-USA regular season championship for the first time since the league's inception for the 1995-96 season.
"Cincinnati is a tremendous offensive team that doesn't turn the ball over," Pitino said. "Last year they had some shooting deficiencies and they've ridded themselves of those. Now you take the great defense they play, the relentless rebounding and add the talent on offense and you've got a great team. They go on unbelievable runs. Defensively, they contest every play down the court like we do. They're relentless with their pressure."
And the Cards can't rely on wearing the Bearcats down like they do so many of their opponents because Huggins has at least as much quality depth ? and maybe more ? as Pitino does. Ten Bearcats are averaging double digits in playing time and UC is getting 36 points per game from its bench. Bobbitt, the second-leading scorer (14.4 ppg) and steals leader (2.4), is actually UC's sixth man.
As an indication of Cincinnati's depth, the Bearcats defeated then-No. 21 Marquette in Milwaukee 85-73 last week without starting forward Armein Kirkland (sprained knee) and with only four points from leading score Jason Maxiell, who is averaging 15.
Maxiell, who is also UC's leading rebounder (7.8), suffered a sprained ankle in Saturday's 85-57 rout of TCU, but Huggins said he expects him to play against U of L.
UC forced Marquette and its outstanding point guard, Travis Diener, into 16 first-half turnovers. The Bearcats lead C-USA in turnover margin at +10.8 per game (U of L is a distant third at 4.3), forcing 23 errors per outing. They've held teams to 38.2 percent field goal shooting and they lead the nation in scoring margin at +25.2.
But it's the Bearcats' aggressive style of play that has caught the Cardinals' attention.
"They're very physical," Dean said. "They'll try to bully you and get a lot of turnovers. They're going to come in here ready to tear our heads off and we have to be ready to fight back. We have to take care of the ball and be aggressive.
"Huggins stresses knocking the opposition down every time down the court. They try to intimidate people and they're going to come in here thinking they can do that to us, too. But we're not going to back down.
"It's going to come down to defense because both of us are going to get after each other and whoever locks down defensively will win. It's going to be all-around fun. It's going to be a great game."
Aside from Cincinnati's pressure, U of L's biggest challenge figures to be battling the more muscular and rugged Bearcats on the interior, both offensively and defensively, and on the glass. UC has outrebounded its last five opponents by an average margin of eight. Maxiell and 6-6 sophomore Eric Hicks are two of the best offensive rebounders in C-USA.
"That's what Cincinnati's reputation is, being bangers and bruisers and everything like that," forward Luke Whitehead said. "We've got to make sure we come out and continue to play aggressively like we've been playing all year. We'll definitely have to come with our best basketball to win."
Huggins thinks the team that shoots the best will probably win. "It comes down to what it always comes down to. . .a team has to make shots," Huggins said. "They're going to defend, we're going to defend. They're going to rebound, we're going to rebound. People are going to have to make some key shots."
Cardinals' stingy 'D' will test UC firepower
C-USA showdown puts 13-game streaks on line
By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The University of Cincinnati Bearcats have scored points in bunches all season. They average 83.6 points a game, have had at least four double-figure scorers in each of their last seven games and are beating their opponents by 25.2 points a game, tops in the nation.
Louisville coach Rick Pitino wants his Cardinals to disrupt UC's offense.
(AP photo)
But if they're going to continue that offensive dominance tonight against Louisville, they'll have to find a way to score consistently against a team that leads the country in field goal percentage defense (35.7 percent) and is allowing just 58.2 points a game.
"This is the best defensive team he's had in the three years he's been at Louisville," UC coach Bob Huggins said of Cardinals coach Rick Pitino. "They do a great job in pressure and they do a great job in holding your field goal percentage down."
No. 6 UC (13-0, 4-0 Conference USA) takes on No. 5 Louisville (13-1, 4-0) at 7 p.m. today at Freedom Hall in Louisville in a game that looms as one of the most talked-about matchups in the nine-year history of the league, with both teams riding 13-game winning streaks.
The Cardinals have won 14 in a row at home.
"It's going to be a main event," UC guard Tony Bobbitt said. "This is what everybody's ready to see. This is what we live for."
For Louisville, this is a chance to show seven-time champion UC and the rest of the league that it has fully arrived under Pitino. For UC, one of three unbeaten teams in the country, it's a chance to prove wrong the naysayers who have derided the Bearcats' non-league schedule as being too soft.
"It seems like people think Cincinnati isn't real or something," said UC forward Jason Maxiell, "like we're not a true 13-0 team."
Both teams have an abundance of long-range shooters and offensive firepower, but they're defined by their defense.
"It'll come down to, can you guard your man?" Bobbitt said. "Both coaches have pride in their defense and both teams have pride in their defense."
Though the Bearcats can't match Louisville's defensive averages, they're not far behind, allowing 58.4 points a game and holding opponents to 38 percent shooting.
It all starts with their respective full-court presses.
"We both try to be disruptive," Pitino said, "but they will halfcourt trap more than we will out of our pressure. They're different type presses, but both want to take the other team out of what they run. The ultimate objective is the same, but the alignments are different."
UC has forced an average of 23 turnovers compared with 18.7 for Louisville, but UC has not faced much full-court pressure this season.
If the Bearcats handle the Louisville pressure, they'll find themselves face to face with one of the best halfcourt defenses in the country.
"They try to defend the paint," said UC associate head coach Dan Peters, who compiled the scouting report on Louisville. "They try to make you shoot jump shots over the top, and then they're always in position to rebound the ball."
Offensively, Louisville features sophomore forward Francisco Garcia, the preseason conference player of the year, who ranks among the league's top 10 in scoring (14.6), free throw percentage (78.7), assists (5.5 per game), steals (1.86 per game) and blocked shots (1.57 per game).
The Bearcats appear to have a slight edge in depth, especially if Armein Kirkland's sprained left knee has healed enough to allow him to be effective. Kirkland is not 100 percent, but he was improved during practice Tuesday.
Kirkland could help both as a defender on Garcia and for his ability to see over Louisville's press.
UC also appears to be the more physical team.
"They don't have that much presence inside really," Maxiell said, "so we've got to attack them inside-out first."
C-USA showdown puts 13-game streaks on line
By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The University of Cincinnati Bearcats have scored points in bunches all season. They average 83.6 points a game, have had at least four double-figure scorers in each of their last seven games and are beating their opponents by 25.2 points a game, tops in the nation.
Louisville coach Rick Pitino wants his Cardinals to disrupt UC's offense.
(AP photo)
But if they're going to continue that offensive dominance tonight against Louisville, they'll have to find a way to score consistently against a team that leads the country in field goal percentage defense (35.7 percent) and is allowing just 58.2 points a game.
"This is the best defensive team he's had in the three years he's been at Louisville," UC coach Bob Huggins said of Cardinals coach Rick Pitino. "They do a great job in pressure and they do a great job in holding your field goal percentage down."
No. 6 UC (13-0, 4-0 Conference USA) takes on No. 5 Louisville (13-1, 4-0) at 7 p.m. today at Freedom Hall in Louisville in a game that looms as one of the most talked-about matchups in the nine-year history of the league, with both teams riding 13-game winning streaks.
The Cardinals have won 14 in a row at home.
"It's going to be a main event," UC guard Tony Bobbitt said. "This is what everybody's ready to see. This is what we live for."
For Louisville, this is a chance to show seven-time champion UC and the rest of the league that it has fully arrived under Pitino. For UC, one of three unbeaten teams in the country, it's a chance to prove wrong the naysayers who have derided the Bearcats' non-league schedule as being too soft.
"It seems like people think Cincinnati isn't real or something," said UC forward Jason Maxiell, "like we're not a true 13-0 team."
Both teams have an abundance of long-range shooters and offensive firepower, but they're defined by their defense.
"It'll come down to, can you guard your man?" Bobbitt said. "Both coaches have pride in their defense and both teams have pride in their defense."
Though the Bearcats can't match Louisville's defensive averages, they're not far behind, allowing 58.4 points a game and holding opponents to 38 percent shooting.
It all starts with their respective full-court presses.
"We both try to be disruptive," Pitino said, "but they will halfcourt trap more than we will out of our pressure. They're different type presses, but both want to take the other team out of what they run. The ultimate objective is the same, but the alignments are different."
UC has forced an average of 23 turnovers compared with 18.7 for Louisville, but UC has not faced much full-court pressure this season.
If the Bearcats handle the Louisville pressure, they'll find themselves face to face with one of the best halfcourt defenses in the country.
"They try to defend the paint," said UC associate head coach Dan Peters, who compiled the scouting report on Louisville. "They try to make you shoot jump shots over the top, and then they're always in position to rebound the ball."
Offensively, Louisville features sophomore forward Francisco Garcia, the preseason conference player of the year, who ranks among the league's top 10 in scoring (14.6), free throw percentage (78.7), assists (5.5 per game), steals (1.86 per game) and blocked shots (1.57 per game).
The Bearcats appear to have a slight edge in depth, especially if Armein Kirkland's sprained left knee has healed enough to allow him to be effective. Kirkland is not 100 percent, but he was improved during practice Tuesday.
Kirkland could help both as a defender on Garcia and for his ability to see over Louisville's press.
UC also appears to be the more physical team.
"They don't have that much presence inside really," Maxiell said, "so we've got to attack them inside-out first."
Maxiell ready to deal against Cards
UC notebook
By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Jason Maxiell is primed and ready to go. The University of Cincinnati forward still had his sprained ankle taped for practice Tuesday but said he's close to 100 percent and looking forward to the Bearcats' biggest test of the season tonight at No. 5 Louisville.
"To me," UC's leading scorer and rebounder said, "this will make us feel like we get our respect. My friends, they don't see us on TV or ESPN. It's always Duke or UConn."
LEAGUE EMPHASIS: The winner of tonight's game between UC and Louisville, the last two unbeaten teams in the league, will gain a leg up on the rest of Conference USA for the regular-season championship.
That might be more important for UC than it is for a lot of other schools in an era when a team's performance in the NCAA Tournament is so heavily emphasized. The Bearcats have won seven of the eight regular-season titles C-USA has offered.
"That's why you play the regular season," Huggins said. "When you've won it as much as we've won it here, naturally the guys take a lot of pride in it. It's something guys talk about all the time, so they hear it so much."
TOP 10 CLASH: UC and Louisville have played each other 81 times in basketball, but tonight's game is only the second time both teams have been ranked in the top 10 at the time of their meeting.
In 1996-97, Louisville was ranked eighth and UC ninth. Louisville won that game 81-70 at Louisville.
DEFENSIVE STRUGGLE? UC averages 83.6 points and Louisville 80.1 a game, but UAB coach Mike Anderson thinks tonight's game will be decided by defense.
"I think it will be close, and as much as both teams like to score, I think it will be a defensive battle," Anderson said.
UC notebook
By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Jason Maxiell is primed and ready to go. The University of Cincinnati forward still had his sprained ankle taped for practice Tuesday but said he's close to 100 percent and looking forward to the Bearcats' biggest test of the season tonight at No. 5 Louisville.
"To me," UC's leading scorer and rebounder said, "this will make us feel like we get our respect. My friends, they don't see us on TV or ESPN. It's always Duke or UConn."
LEAGUE EMPHASIS: The winner of tonight's game between UC and Louisville, the last two unbeaten teams in the league, will gain a leg up on the rest of Conference USA for the regular-season championship.
That might be more important for UC than it is for a lot of other schools in an era when a team's performance in the NCAA Tournament is so heavily emphasized. The Bearcats have won seven of the eight regular-season titles C-USA has offered.
"That's why you play the regular season," Huggins said. "When you've won it as much as we've won it here, naturally the guys take a lot of pride in it. It's something guys talk about all the time, so they hear it so much."
TOP 10 CLASH: UC and Louisville have played each other 81 times in basketball, but tonight's game is only the second time both teams have been ranked in the top 10 at the time of their meeting.
In 1996-97, Louisville was ranked eighth and UC ninth. Louisville won that game 81-70 at Louisville.
DEFENSIVE STRUGGLE? UC averages 83.6 points and Louisville 80.1 a game, but UAB coach Mike Anderson thinks tonight's game will be decided by defense.
"I think it will be close, and as much as both teams like to score, I think it will be a defensive battle," Anderson said.
