Thinking Ahead: Why the Louisville Cardinals Will Be Champions in 2012

The Louisville Cardinals Basketball squad has come off one of the most disappointing and premature endings in its hunt for a third National Championship in 2011.

But 2012 is what Rick Pitino and his Cardinals have been waiting for. 

Here is a list of the top five reasons why the Cardinals will finally make it to number three in 2012.

Plenty to Build off of from Last Year

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DENVER, CO - MARCH 17: The mascot of the Louisville Cardinals performs prior to taking on the Morehead State Eagles in the second round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Pepsi Center on March 17, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin E

The Cardinals probably (and in all fairness) shouldn’t have the season that it did. Still, after nearly winning the Big East, its tournament, and getting a four seed in the NCAA tournament, Louisville overachieved this season. 

They played some sound basketball that really revolved around a whole roster of players, rather than just one or two. The style of basketball they are playing is aggressive, built around a solid pressing defense and then a good 2-3 zone defense, with the prototypical Rick Pitino offense of three-pointers being the mainstay for the team.

And with big wins against teams like Syracuse, UConn, and Pittsburgh, the Louisville Cardinals owned their 25-10 record and showcased that it can win, even without the big star.

Depth, Depth, and More Depth

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LOUISVILLE, KY - MARCH 02: Preston Knowles #2 (Center) of the Louisville Cardinals celebrates with Peyton Siva #3 and Chris Smith #5 after making a basket to end the first half during the Big East Conference game against the Providence Friars at the KFC

Look at the roster this year: There are only two seniors leaving this season in Preston Knowles and George Goode. While Knowles will be missed, the rest of the team is as solid as it's ever been, with guys like Peyton Siva, Terrence Jennings, Kyle Kuric, and the injured Jared Swopshire and Rakeem Buckles coming back for next season.

And, there are also still guys like Stephen Van Treese, Mike Marra and Chris Smith, who have been key role players in the offense, and may still provide that same spark that we saw in 2011.

While the tournament is all about the star players, one cannot forget that come tournament time, the Cardinals have depth, and maybe even a start player in…

Peyton Siva

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DENVER, CO - MARCH 17: Peyton Siva #3 of the Louisville Cardinals handles the ball against the Morehead State Eagles during the second round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Pepsi Center on March 17, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ju

This guy is a stud. After years of never having a true, slash-to-the-paint point guard, here comes Peyton Siva, who is coming off a fantastic season, regardless of his play in the last two games of the season.

What Siva provides is amazing passing ability, great ball handing, and deadly dribble-drive play that goes beyond anything most have seen in Louisville in quite a while. 

If the Cardinals want to win a championship next season, it’ll probably be on the shoulders of this young man, the solid Terrence Jennings, and some new faces coming to Louisville next season.

Great Recruits

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LOUISVILLE, KY - FEBRUARY 12: The opening tip of the Louisville Cardinals Big East Conference game against the Syracuse Orange at the KFC Yum! Center on February 12, 2011 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Wayne Blackshear, Zach Price, and Chane Behanan are three of potentially five recruits joining U of L next season.

Blackshear, a small forward out of Chicago, has the scoring ability to really push the Cardinals into overdrive next season. Price, a center from Louisville, KY, is the reload of a player the Cardinals will need after the graduation of George Goode, and when Jennings needs a break, Price could be the player to take over underneath the basket. With Behanan, a forward out of Bowling Green, KY, he has the ability to score, but also play a valuable future role in either the three or four position on the court.

It’s these three recruits that add more depth to an already deep Louisville squad. These recruits help give Cardinals the extra firepower needed to go up against teams like UNC, Duke, Pitt and Kentucky.

But they’ll need extra coaching to do it.

Rick Pitino

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DENVER, CO - MARCH 17: Head coach Rick Pitino of the Louisville Cardinals gestures from the sidelines against the Morehead State Eagles during the second round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Pepsi Center on March 17, 2011 in Denver, Colo

Pitino has done quite a lot since joining the Cardinals in 2001—a Final Four appearance, multiple conference championships, big tournament wins, and even some first round draft picks.

But, if there is one thing Pitino needs to do to really solidify himself as one of the all-time greats, it's win that ever elusive second national championship he's been itching for another shot at.

The offense and defense his teams typically play are truly unique and aggressive, and the conditioning he makes his players go through is simply tough. But, his team needs to be prepared for any opponent it could meet in the tournament next year, as Louisville fans will not be happy with a third year of losing in the first round in a row.

It's up to the future Hall of Famer to really challenge his guys to succeed now, while they have the depth and developed skill level to succeed even further in 2012.

In Conclusion

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INDIANAPOLIS - NOVEMBER 29: The 'Cardinal Bird,' which is the mascot for the University of Louisville entertains the crowd during the John Wooden Tradition game against Iowa on November29, 2003 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Iowa defeat

The Cardinals have had some solid expectations in the past, but they should be focused on an even higher standard for the next year.

This next year could be the best chance for the Louisville Cardinals to win it all. Lifelong Cardinals fans should be ready for a great year and hopefully many more years like it in the future.