When we last saw Louisville: 31-6

Rick Pitino's Cardinals managed to secure their first AP No. 1 ranking, heading into the NCAA tournament.

The Cards also won their first Big East championship and reached the Elite Eight for the second year in a row but lost to eventual national runner-up Michigan State.

Entering the 2009-10 season, Pitino has to replace three starters: guard Andre McGee and forwards Earl Clark and Terrence Williams.

Williams and Clark were the top two performers in virtually every offensive category for Louisville.

 

Projected Starters

Jerry Smith, G, 6'2" 

Smith, a senior, is just one part of a very talented and experienced backcourt for Pitino. Heading into the season, he is just 54 points away from 1,000 in his career.

Look for Smith to be the first, and best, option shooting beyond the three-point stripe this year, coming off a year where he ranked sixth in the conference in three-point percentage (41 percent).

 

Edgar Sosa, G, 6'2"

Sosa is the other half of Pitino's senior starting backcourt, which should prove early on to be the backbone of the Cardinals attack.

The senior, who shared point guard duties with Andre McGee, now will receive most of the minutes there. 

Sosa's success setting the table for his teammates, especially in the frontcourt, will probably be the biggest determining factor in how much success the Cardinals will enjoy this year.

 

Samardo Samuels, F/C, 6'9"

Last year, Samuels was named to the Big East All-Rookie team. Now in his sophomore season, bigger things could be in store.

With Clark and Williams long gone, Samuels will be option No. 1 in the interior.

Terrence Jennings is expected to see more time at center, so Samuels should slide in nicely at power forward with his tough inside scoring and shot-blocking.

 

Terrence Jennings, F/C, 6'10"

As last year went on, so did the development of Jennings, who ended the year as one of the conference's top shot blockers.

A misdemeanor arrest two weeks ago should not keep Jennings from landing a starting spot at center, and in turn more notoriety as a developing force to be reckoned with on the defensive end.

Reginald Delk, G/F, 6'5"

Delk will need to hold off sophomore Jared Swopshire for the starting nod.

Delk, along with Smith, gives Pitino two deadly options on the perimeter and could prove to be the right fit for an inexperienced frontcourt.

Swopshire, a high-energy, lunch-pail type, could be a bigger asset coming off the bench for the Cards, but he is the better rebounder of the two.

 

Other Contributors

Of the five newcomers for Pitino, two could play themselves into bigger minutes as the season unfolds.

Peyton Siva, a 5'11" point guard, was a McDonalds' All-American and player of the year in the state of Washington.

Siva's awareness at the point and solid ball-handling should make him the main backup to Sosa at the point and one of the best incoming pointmen in the country.

Rakeem Buckles, a 6'8" power forward, should at least bring some much-needed rebounding help to the frontcourt as a freshman.

Early returns on Buckles are he could be an Earl Clark clone, with a little more polish at this stage of his career.

Preston Knowles (G), a 6'1" sparkplug off the bench, gives the Cards some punch on the defensive end, especially in the press.

Knowles also isn't too shabby at knocking down treys, ranking second in the league in three-point percentage last year.

George Goode (F, 6'8") played through a stress fracture in his right leg for a good portion of his freshman year.

Goode provides a wide body in the post and some much-needed rebounding and interior defense.

 

 

Toughest games

Jan. 2 at Kentucky

Last year's game, won 74-71, proved to be Sosa's redemption to Pitino's early criticism of the guard.

As if this rivalry needed any more drama, now the annual game features Pitino versus new UK coach John Calipari. It will also be the Cards' first meeting with much-hyped Wildcats point guard John Wall.

It will also serve as the first game in the national spotlight for the Cards and the biggest test before the Big East schedule swings into gear.

 

Jan. 11 vs. Villanova

This Monday night matchup brings one of the Big East favorites in the Wildcats.

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