2011-2012 Louisville Cardinals: How Will They Fare in the Big East?

Defeated by the eventual National Champion Connecticut Huskies in the Big East Championship Game at Madison Square Garden on Mar. 11, 2011, this year's Cardinals squad commences their quest for both a Big East and National Championship at 7:00 p.m this evening, when they host the 12th-ranked Georgetown Hoyas.

One of seven undefeated teams, the Cardinals have already triumphed over non-conference foes Vanderbilt and Memphis, but now place their unblemished record on the line against a well-matched opponent.

Many fans around The 'Ville have voiced this team is over-ranked and will certainly fall when the conference schedule marches around, but let's take a look at what faces these Cardinals who already have racked up statistics similar to some of best Louisville teams to take the court and see if the Cardinals can potentially lock up a one or two seed for the NCAA tournament in March.

Dec. 28: Georgetown Hoyas

Last year, the Hoyas produced their fifth 20-win season in the last six years, but after senior guard Chris Wright injured his wrist, they were ousted in the tournament by Virginia Commonwealth in what many consider to be an upset.

This year's squad is young, but forward Hollis Thompson is the type of player that can pick a team up on his back and carry them to the finish line. Also, the Hoyas have a lot more size, with four 6'7" players, than many other teams in the NCAA.

The player to keep an eye on is Otto Porter, a 6'8" freshman forward who broke his father's high school rebounding record at Scott County Central High School in Sikeston, Mo.

Dedicated to the Princeton offense, the Hoyas haven't received a lot of scoring from the point position, but they are well-coached, athletic and can play defense. They have already over-achieved, as most scouting reports chose them to make the tournament field, but not to be ranked within the Top 25.

Louisville seriously struggles at times to score, and if they don't rebound the ball or make open shots, the Hoyas will get the W.

January 3, St. John's Redmen

In Steve Lavin's first year as head coach, this team had their first 20 win-season since 2002-2003, defeated six ranked teams and brought in one of this year's top recruiting classes.

However, only one player from last year's team returned (junior guard Malik Stith) as the squad had 10 seniors. They start four freshmen, and Lavin has missed six games recovering from prostrate cancer. 

This team prefers to play an up-tempo game and, like the Cardinals, a pressure defense. What helps the Redmen is this game is in the Garden, where the Cardinals have always seemed to struggle.

Also, the Redmen demolished the Friars last night (91-67) to pick up their third straight victory after an 0-3 slump, with freshman Moe Harkness breaking Allen Iverson's and Troy Murphy's (30) record for most points scored by a freshman in their Big East debut with 32 points.

Since Louisville has no offense for long periods of time, Siva is not 100 percent, and there doesn't seem to be enough healthy bodies for Pitino to insert on defense, Louisville could really have a tough time with the Johnnies, who will only improve as the season marches on, but ultimately will have the most points on the board before the buzzer sounds. 

Jan. 7: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Picked to finish seventh in last year's Big East preseason polls, the Irish far exceeded expectations and compiled a 27-7 record, good for second in the Big East during the regular season. Guard Ben Hansbrough was the Big East Player of the Year, and Mike Bray was Coach of the Year.

Things aren't nearly as good in South Bend this year. 

When the team's star forward, Tim Abromaitis, succumbed to knee injury in the sixth game of the season, it became obvious the Irish would have a tough time competing. Besides his defense and rebounding skills, Abromaitis was a top-long range shooter, and the Irish simply have no one to step into that role. 

That is, until last night.

Alex Dragicevich scored a career-high 22 points, 17 of them coming in the second half on four three-point shots, to lift his team to a 72-59 victory over the No. 22 Pittsburgh Panthers to record their 28th consecutive win in the Joyce Center.

This was a huge emotional victory for the Irish, who might have finally found their rhythm after the loss of Abromaitis, but look for the Cardinals to terminate the Irish's home win streak.

Jan. 10: Providence Friars

When the Cardinals travel to the Dunkin Donuts Arena, they will breathe a sigh of relief that Marshon Brooks, the Big East record holder for number of points scored in a single game (52) and last year's top scorer in the Big East (26)—as well as the second best offensive machine nationally (24.6—has moved on to the NBA.

Second-year coach Ed Cooley's Friars are young; they only start two juniors and have already met defeat at the hands of St. John's in their first Big East contest this year (Dec. 27) at home.

Louisville will have to contain Friar guards Vincent Council (junior) and Gerard Coleman (sophomore), but this team should be able to do this fairly easily on the road. 

Chalk up another road win for the Cardinals.

Jan. 14: DePaul Blue Demons

Another team that is young but is definitely on the rise in Oliver Purnell's second season as head coach.

The Blue Demons improved tremendously last year with a trio of freshman guards: Cleveland Melvin, Morgan Melvin and Brandon Young, and with the addition of five new freshmen, are a team in a rebuilding stage.

This team could surprise with several big wins during Big East play this year, but this game will not be the night they conquer the Cardinals in the Yum Center.

Louisville should prevail. 

Jan. 16: Marquette Golden Eagles

Traditionally this has always been a tough series for the Cardinals, and Marquette is tough to beat on their home court no matter what.

The Golden Eagles recently fell from the ranks of the undefeated last week, and while they may not have as talented as a cast as last year, they still have preseason All-Big East Second Team selection Darius Johnson Odom (senior guard) and Jae Crawford (senior forward) as their nucleus. 

The Cardinals will have to rebound offensively and defensively, as the Golden Eagles will continue to grind at them throughout the entire game, while a hostile crowd in Wisconsin could certainly turn the tide.

Quite possibly, Louisville will drop this one on the road after a fairly tough stretch to begin Big East play.

Jan. 21: Pittsburgh Panthers

It's quite possible the Cardinals will drop their second consecutive game on the road. 

Not many programs have enjoyed as much success as the Panthers have in the Peterson Event Center, and although Pittsburgh has lost two games in a row, one to Wagner and another to Notre Dame at the Joyce Center on Dec. 27, the Cardinals might be ripe for the plucking after a tough game at Marquette.

Ashton Gibbs, the preseason Big East Player of the Year, hasn't exactly been lighting it up, but look for him to lead his team at home to a victory over the Cardinals. Especially since he was quite upset about the loss to the Cardinals last February and may be seeking some redemption.

Also, if the Panthers aren't as successful as recent years, they will still be crashing the boards and being very physical on the floor. 

If the Cardinals are not healthy, expect the back-to-back games on the road to take their toll.

Panthers win.

Jan. 25: Villanova Wildcats

With four days to catch their breath and a return to the friendly confines of the Yum Center, the Cardinals should be easily able to handle the Villanova Wildcats in what has to already be considered an off year for this program.

Defensively, they should give the Cardinals some pressure, but with freshman Tyrone Johnson lacking experience and junior guard Maalik Wayns failing to pick up the mantle from the talented guards Villanova has showcased in the past, expect another 'W' in the column for the Cardinals.

Jan. 28: Seton Hall Pirates

This could be another trap game on the road for the Cardinals.

Senior center Herb Pope has never truly lived up to his hype, but is finally starting to put it all together. 

This man is has already put up more double-doubles than any other national player and has always had the skills to rise to the top of the list of elite players in the Big East.

If the Cardinals cannot contain him, they will lose this road game, but their overall talent does eclipse the Pirates.

They should triumph, but it won't be a walk in the park.

Feb. 4: Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Thank god the Cardinals take on the Scarlet Knights only once at the Yum Center. Even though this is yet another young team with potential, the Cardinals want to avoid playing this team at the RAC, as it is one of the toughest places to play in the conference.

Louisville just has too many weapons for the Knights and should appreciate this opponent at home after a tough road scenario at Seton Hall.

The Cardinals triumph.

Feb. 2: Connecticut Huskies

It's a quick tournaround, but the Cardinals have to be mighty glad Kemba Walker has moved on to the professional ranks, and they meet the Huskies on their home court.

Center Andre Drummond, the preseason Big East Freshman of the Year and this week's Big East Freshman of the Week, finally showed the ability that was touted long before he donned the blue and white in Hartford. Toss in sophomores Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier, and this team is one of the league's best.

The Cardinals will have to score while limiting the Huskies opportunities and hit the boards, but the home crowd will prove the difference, and just like last year, this squad will reign victorious. 

Feb. 11: West Virginia Mountaineers

In what has to be considered a less-than-stellar year for program, the Mountaineers still have one of the league's best players in Kevin Jones. The senior forward is this week's Big East Player of the Week and must be stifled in order for the Cardinals to win this intense rivalry game on the road.

The Mountaineers seem to really target their home games against the Cardinals, and even if this squad doesn't possess the talent of years past, they still have Huggy Bear, who captured his 700th win, and whose teams are always tenacious.

Expect West Virginia to attack the glass, but the Cardinals return to the River City with the victory. 

February 13: Syracuse Orange

Let's face it, the Cardinals have owned the Orange since entering the Big East, and it doesn't matter how highly the Orange are ranked or where they have played.

Rick Pitino, who began his career as an assistant to Jim Boeheim at Syracuse, seems to know exactly what to do to defeat the vaunted 2-3 zone that has become the Orange's trademark.

Kuric has hit threes; Pitino has thrown everything but the kitchen sink into his defense and changed up his schemes, and it has been very successful for Louisville.

Two years ago, the Cardinals defeated the then-top ranked Orange on Valentine's Day at the Yum Center and accounted for two of that team's losses when beating them later in the year in their own house.

That will not happen this year. The Orange finally have a bench and are simply too deep for the Cardinals to hand a defeat to this time.

Rick's magic will finally wane, and the Orange will cast this monkey off their back. The win goes to Syracuse.

Feb. 18: DePaul Blue Demons

Although DePaul will have had the time to gain more experience and obviously appreciate this meeting at home, the Cardinals are still too talented to lose this contest.

It may be more of a tussle than their earlier meeting, but the Cardinals rack up another one on the win side.

Feb. 23: Cincinnati Bearcats

Yeah, yeah, the whole world knows what happened in the Crosstown Shootout and how it's already affected the previously top 10 Xavier Musketiers, as well as relegating Yancy Gates to the sidelines for six games, but the Bearcats always hold their own at the Shoe.

Besides, Gates, who was a preseason pick for the All-Big East First Team, will have time to recover and make amends for his transgressions.

Look for the Bearcats to really limit the Cardinals offensive opportunities, but this squad will overcome and eke out another triumph on the road.

Feb. 26: Pittsburgh Panthers

After taking on the Panthers the prior month at the Peterson Event Center, the Cardinals will relish the rematch in their house. 

Just like last year, when the Cardinals beat the Panthers at home, expect this team to really shine amid a sea of red as they gather themselves for a run in the Big East tournament and push to finish at the top of the league.

Pittsburgh will fight valiantly, but the Cardinals will take care of their light work. 

Feb. 29: University of South Florida Bulls

They may be in the same league, but USF simply is not on the same level as the Cardinals.

Senior center/forward Augustus Gilchrist is the nucleus of this young team that returns six of its top seven scorers from last year, and while this team wasn't destroyed last year in conference play, they did only manage three conference victories.

Maybe sometime in the future, the Bulls can leave Derby City as the victors, but it won't be on this occasion.

Mar. 3: Syracuse Orange

This could be a very anticipated matchup, as both teams could be vying for top seeds in both conference and national postseason tournaments.

Syracuse's Big East schedule has usually been much stronger than the Cardinals, but not this year. They don't have to play Connecticut and Pittsburgh twice and may be poised for the top seed in the tourney. The ramifications should be pretty significant.

After a tough battle, expect the Cardinals to atone for their earlier loss at home and hand Syracuse a setback in the Loud House. Pitino knows how to get it done in the Carrier Dome, and this Cardinals team will be difficult for the Orange to subdue twice. Cardinals win.