2011 Louisville Basketball


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2010-11 Results

Overall: 25-10

Big East: 12-6

Conference Tournament: Lost in Finals

Postseason: Lost in 2nd round to Morehead State 62-61

Roster

Seniors

Kyle Kuric
Chris Smith

Juniors

Rakeem Buckles
Luke Hancock
Mark Jackson Jr
Mike Marra
Peyton Siva
Jared Swopshire
Stephan Van Treese

Sophomores

Gorgui Dieng
Tim Henderson
Elisha Justice
Russ Smith

Freshmen

Chane Behanan
Wayne Blackshear inj.
Angel Nunez
Zach Price

Head Coach

Rick Pitino

Key Losses

Freshman Wayne Blackshear has injured his right shoulder in practice and requires surgery with a recovery time that will rule him out of the entire season. Blackshear averaged 32.6 points and 14.6 rebounds his senior year at Chicago’s Morgan Park High School. He also posted huge numbers as a prep senior, including one game of 56 points, 21 rebounds, nine blocked shots and seven steals.

Schedule

Date Opponent / Event
14-Oct RED-WHITE SCRIMMAGE *
22-Oct RED-WHITE SCRIMMAGE *
26-Oct vs. PIKEVILLE *
3-Nov vs. BELLARMINE *
GLOBAL SPORTS INVITATIONAL
11-Nov vs. TENNESSEE-MARTIN
13-Nov vs. LAMAR
22-Nov vs. ARKANSAS STATE
25-Nov vs. OHIO
28-Nov vs. LONG BEACH STATE
19-Nov @ Butler
BIG EAST / SEC CHALLENGE
2-Dec vs. VANDERBILT
7-Dec vs. IUPUI
10-Dec vs. FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON
BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME SHOOTOUT
17-Dec vs. MEMPHIS
20-Dec vs. COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON
BILLY MINARDI CLASSIC
12/23/2011 vs. WESTERN KENTUCKY
REGULAR SEASON
12/28/2011 vs. GEORGETOWN #
12/31/2011 @ Kentucky
1/3/2012 @ St. John’s #
1/7/2012 vs. NOTRE DAME #
1/10/2012 @ Providence #
1/14/2012 vs. DE PAUL #
1/16/2012 @ Marquette #
1/21/2012 @ Pittsburgh #
1/25/2012 vs. VILLANOVA #
1/28/2012 @ Seton Hall #
2/4/2012 vs. RUTGERS #
2/6/2012 vs. CONNECTICUT #
2/11/2012 @ West Virginia
2/13/2012 vs. SYRACUSE #
2/18/2012 @ DePaul #
2/23/2012 @ Cincinnati #
2/26/2012 vs. PITTSBURGH #
2/29/2012 vs. USF #
3/3/2012 @ Syracuse #
BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP
3/6/2012 TBD
3/7/2012 TBD
3/8/2012 TBD
3/9/2012 TBD
3/10/2012 TBD
# Conference Games

2011-12 Preview

Strength in depth is becoming a necessity at Louisville. Last season, ten players missed time through injuries leaving Louisville to use what fit players they had left. Coach, Rick Pitino managed to get 25 victories out of the Cardinals, eventually finishing with 12 league wins and a third place finish.

Louisville lost out to Connecticut in the Big East championship and, in the regular season, won at least 10 league games for the fifth consecutive season after struggling in their inaugural Big East season.

As Pitino’s squad gradually gets back to something approaching full strength, we can expect a typical bold showing from the Cardinals this season. However, the early loss of Blackshear will be a blow.

Backcourt

Peyton Siva looks ready to assume the role of lead guard. He handed out at least six assists in five of the last six games in 2010-11. The only Cardinal to start all 35 games, Siva could become a serious contender for Big East Player of the Year honors.

If anyone benefited from the team’s injury crisis it was Chris Smith. He averaged nearly 26 minutes and 10 points a game. He scored double figures in 16 games, including 17 in the NCAA Tournament loss to Morehead State. Other than Siva, Smith was the only other Cardinal to appear in all 35 games.

Mike Marra scored a career-best 23 points early in the year against South Alabama, and later had 22 against Marquette. He also struggled through one 11-game stretch where he failed to hit double figures and another five games where he didn’t score at all. He shot just 31.7 percent from the field, 28 percent from three and he knows those numbers have to improve.

Russ Smith played much of last season as an understudy to Siva in the combo-guard role. He only played minimal minutes in 17 games in a season marred by a series of injuries.

Elisha Justice appeared in 29 games and scored seven points, three rebounds and three steals in the NCAA Tournament loss to Morehead State. He finished the year with nearly a 3-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Mark Jackson, Jr. sat out the last season as a redshirt and may have a tough time finding minutes this time around.

Frontcourt

Luke Hancock arrives as a transfer from George Mason. He hit a three-pointer with 21 seconds remaining to help George Mason upset Villanova in the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

Kyle Kuric gave us a glimpse of his potential with his dunk at the end of the first half of the regular-season game against Notre Dame, soaring over the 6-8 Scott Martin.

Rakeem Buckles was progressing well before a series of injuries limited him to just 16 games and he could be out until late January. Stephan Van Treese started a dozen games last season and will probably be in the starting line up again this season, at least until Buckles returns. Van Treese shot 70.5 percent from the field in league games.

Gorgui Dieng posted the first double-double for points and rebounds in his career when he went for 13 and 12 against Connecticut. Like Van Treese, Dieng makes the most of his opportunities around the basket and shot 61.8 percent from the field.

Jared Swopshire was solid in his first two seasons when he played a combined 70 games with 21 starts but a serious groin injury in the summer of 2010 eventually needed surgery. Swopshire should be back by early January. Angel Nunez may struggle to get match time but has the potential to make a very good player.

More Big East Basketball Predictions

Syracuse Orange Marquette Golden Eagles Notre Dame Fighting Irish Georgetown Hoyas
Cincinnati Bearcats South Florida Bulls Louisville Cardinals West Virginia Mountaineers
Seton Hall Pirates Connecticut Huskies Rutgers Scarlet Knights St. Johns Red Storm
Pittsburgh Panthers Villanova Wildcats Providence Friars DePaul Blue Demons
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