Louisville defense will face severe test from quick strike offense of Notre Dame

Thursday, February 28, 2008
Freedom Hall, Louisville, KY @ 7 pm

In the early going portion of this Big East clash on Thursday night, it’ll be a bit of a cat-and-mouse game between No.13 Louisville and visiting No.18 Notre Dame. The Irish want to play a fast, up tempo style. Do the Cardinals slow the game down to a crawl, or play fast right along with the Irish? How will David Padgett and Derrick Caracter of the Cardinals defend Irish do-it-all forward Luke Harangody?

It will be a game of adjustments for both Mike Brey and Rick Pitino, and the adjustments will may be made on the fly during the game, rather than just at the half. Notre Dame (21-5, 11-3) is breathing heavily down the neck of Louisville (22-6, 12-3), who are tied atop the Big East with Georgetown. The Irish are winners of three straight and eight of their last nine, boasting a high-octane offensive attack. Notre Dame has score at least 81 points in seven of their last nine games, and with a victory over Louisville, the Irish would supplant Louisville in the Big East standings, possibly setting themselves up for a potential share of the Big East regular season crown.

Irish forward Luke Harangody is getting a lot of ink of late, with many believing he could end up being the Big East Player of the Year at season’s end. ‘Gody has certainly played like, averaging 20.2 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Harangody has posted double-doubles in eight of the last nine wins for the Irish. In the 94-87 win on Sunday afternoon, Harangody went for 13 points and 12 rebounds for 16 th double-double of the season, 11 th against Big East opponents. As great as Harangody has been, his supporting cast has risen the level of their play. When guard Kyle McAlarney brings his A-game to the gym, the Irish are awfully tough to beat.

McAlarney’s full arsenal was on display against Syracuse, connecting on nine 3-pointers and turning in 30 points for the third time this season. Notre Dame is 3-0 when McAlarney goes for 30 or more in a game. Sophomore guard Tory Jackson has evolved at the precise time for Notre Dame, as the Irish come down the home stretch in the regular season. Jackson has scored in double figures in five consecutive games, averaging 14 points and 5.8 assists over the five-game span. Jackson leads the Irish in assists, averaging 6.0 assists per game.

Despite Notre Dame nipping right at their heels, Louisville hasn’t stumbled or given the Irish a chance to surpass them in the standings. The Cardinals have won seven in a row, all in the month of February. and have won 13 of their past 15 games. Louisville may be coming off their biggest victory of the season, a statement win over the Panthers in Pittsburgh, 75-73. The Panthers were a head-shaking 94-9 on their home floor before the Cardinals came calling. Louisville left Pittsburgh with their 10 th road win in their last 12 games away from Freedom Hall. While the Cardinals are in peek position to come away with Big East regular season title, they may have to win out to ensure the crown and that will be no easy task. They’ll get Notre Dame at home, followed up by another home game against a resurgent Villanova team, and the season finale on the road against Georgetown with the Big East regular season title possibly hanging in the balance.

Once upon a time, the No.13 Cardinals were 5-3 and hopes of a Big East title were few and far between at that point. The Cardinals’ season may have been saved once 2008 arrived, ironically the same point when heart-and-soul center David Padgett returned from a fractured knee cap. Since Jan.1 , the Cardinals are 13-3 and the big man is coming off his best game of the season. In the win over Pitt, Padgett turned in a season high 21 points, along with six boards and six steals. Padgett buried the Panthers at the free throw line in the waning moments of the game, sinking three of four free throws.

Louisville boasts four players averaging double figures (Padgett, Earl Clark, Terrence Williams, Jerry Smith), and much like fellow sophomore Tory Jackson, guard Edgar Sosa. Sosa tied his season high with 18 points in the win over Pittsburgh, all of the bench. While Sosa has suffered from a difficult sophomore slump, in and out of head coach Pitino’s doghouse, Sosa has found his game of late, averaging 10.4 points per game over the last seven games.

The Cardinals are 11-2 at Freedom Hall this season, 6-1 at home versus Big East foes, while the Irish, though impressive at the Joyce Center (won 36 straight homes games, 16-0 this season), are just 3-3 on the road against Big East teams.

by Frank Minniti
BigEast-fans.com Director of Content

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