Louisville Looking Ahead to Tough Big East

Leading "The Cuse" in the frontcourt is Paul Harris who is averaging nearly 13 points and 8.5 boards a game; however, the lack of a true big man like Thabeet, Monroe, or Blair may be an advantage for the Cards.

Notre Dame (10-3)

There is no debate that the best player in the Big East resides in South Bend.

Luke Harangody is making a case for not only Big East, but also National Player of the Year honors putting up unreal numbers this season, averaging 23.5 points; 12.5 rebounds; shooting 51% from the field and 77% from the line.

Sharpshooter Kyle McAlarny will give Jerry Smith and Preston Knowles fits in the backcourt. The six-foot senior is averaging 16.3 points a game and leads the Big East in both three-point and free throw shooting this season.

Adding to the Irish strong backcourt is steady point guard Tory Jackson who is a great distributor of the ball averaging six assists a game with a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio on the season.

Marquette (13-2)

Aside from Pitt, no team in the Big East is playing better basketball right now than the Golden Eagles. With a win at midweek over a tough Villanova club and a 30-point trouncing of Cincinnati, Marquette is starting to put things together as conference play begins.

The Eagles have a backcourt that rivals that of UCONN and Notre Dame with Wesley Matthews, Jereal McNeal, and Dominic James providing a three-headed monster making up two-thirds of the Marquette offensive production this season.

The three starting guards are averaging a combined 48 points, 11 assists, and have a cumulative assist-to-turnover ratio of 4-to-1. The veteran trio defend well and make good decisions with the ball causing match-up problems for teams with their quickness and athleticism.

If Marquette has a weakness it's the lack of frontcourt presence outside of undersized power forward Lazar Hayward (17 points, 9 rebounds a game), and have no real low post presence to deal with Samuels or the other top Big East big men.

Villanova (12-2)

The Cards will get their first real Big East test Saturday in Philly against the Wildcats.

Six-eight senior forward Dante Cunningham has been the biggest bright spot this season for the Cats averaging 17 points and 7.5 rebounds a game as one of the few top rate frontcourt players on the roster.

As erratic as the Louisville guards have been this season they may only be rivaled by Scottie Reynolds. The ultra-talented Reynolds has as much skill as any guard in the conference, however he has been plagued this season by shooting woes (38% from the field) that need to be corrected before 'Nova gets deep into Big East play.

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