Louisville Fans Know Preston Knowles Is Key for a Run to Motown

Those who know college basketball can tell you that defense is the engine that powers the University of Louisville.

Louisville fans who have paid attention this year can tell you this: the spark plug or “X-factor” for that engine is without a doubt Preston Knowles.

It is widely recognized that Terrence Williams has evolved into perhaps the most well-rounded player in the country. Earl Clark has followed his M.O. for the last two seasons and kicked his game into another dimension just as March rolled around.

However, it is the play of this little recognized two guard that has sparked the most frenzied of crowd reactions in Freedom Hall this season.

The average fan knows about T-Will and Clark, but hopes for a run to Detroit will be pinned just as much to the play of Knowles and a few other key pieces as they will to the guys who grab the headlines.

With his ball hawking, in your face, smelling what you had for dinner defense, Knowles has the stuff that coaches like Pitino salivate over when they see it on the court. 

His 33 steals are only six behind the 39 of starting two guard Jerry Smith who averages seven minutes more per game. As of late however, it is his offense that has Cards' fans sitting up and taking notice.

Knowles is shooting 43 percent from behind the arc this year, which was good enough to lead not only his team but the rest of the Big East as well. Still, his on-ball defense is where this reserve with DB-like quick feet makes his money.

Pitino is one of the few coaches in America who tracks deflections. Let's just say that Knowles has kept the graduate assistants busy sharpening their pencils this season.

His play will be crucial for Louisville, if they are to make a run at Detroit and a national championship; especially this weekend, when they face the likes of Nic Wise and possibly Sherron Collins or Kalin Lucas.

Two other key factors for the Cards will be the play of their big men Samardo Samuels and Terrence Jennings.

Samuels has played well in his first year. He is third on the team in scoring and has made huge strides with his offensive game in the post. However, his defense, and more than anything else, his rebounding leaves a lot to be desired.

He has the ability to dominate down low, but his biggest issue has been staying in games, due to an inability to play defense without fouling.

Reserve center Jennings leads the team in blocks and has proved himself to be more than capable this year by playing big minutes with Samuels on the bench.

Clark is well known to the national media; but, he was somewhat of an anomaly this season, until the conference tournament when he seemingly came alive and looked like the lottery pick that NBA scouts say he is.

He was however a necessary evil for most Louisville fans this year who kept asking themselves, “Why does our star forward hang around the three point line when he has the ability to take over a game in the paint.”

Clark has all the skills to look like a super star at any given time during a game; but, he still takes questionable shots and will have to be a lot stronger with the ball than he was against Siena.

During the second half of that game, he was stripped in the lane on three straight possessions. Against a team with more talent, those will be mistakes that this team cannot overcome.

The final piece to the puzzle for Louisville is Edgar Sosa. The much maligned point guard often negates great play with terrible shots and an “olay” style of defense.

The reason why Williams has been dubbed the point forward this year is the same reason why the title “point center” was given to David Padget last year. It’s because Sosa looks to score more than he looks to facilitate the offense.

He has all the skills and athleticism to play the role, but he has yet to embrace it the way Pitino and Cards' fans alike would love to see him do. He is, however, a player who shows no fear and has proven to be someone who relishes big moments with a game hanging in the balance (see the shot against Kentucky earlier this year).

As for the rest of the players on this team well, you know what you’re going to get. They all play extremely hard and fight you tooth and nail on defense.

They dog the ball like grey hounds after a mechanical rabbit.

They fill passing lanes with their length and grind teams into submission with their depth.

Like many top ranked teams this season, they can look like a world beater on one night and a world of hype the next. With that being said, this team has all the tools and then some to be the last squad standing in Motown when it’s all said and done.

The only question remaining is the same one that sixteen different fan bases are asking themselves, as we head into this weekend. It is this, "will my team man up and take the glory from the other fifteen?"

Stay tuned kids; the answer is soon to come.