TiVo-ed last Saturday’s Louisville-UAB game to see U of L’s 82-62 win accomplished with the Cardinals’ top player, Earl Clark, glued to the bench at the tipoff.
Did Billy Gillispie suddenly become the U of L coach?
Kidding.
The Cards own talented cargo but very little cohesion. With Clark as a sub, Pitino started freshman forward Jared Swopshire, who contributed some effective minutes. He also tried the combo of Jerry Smith and Preston Knowles in the backcourt, keeping regular point guards Andre McGee and Edgar Sosa fastened to their seats. The Cards took control with a 10-2 run at the end of the first half and never looked back.
Three thoughts:
- Pitino’s obviously in full search-party mode for a point guard. Sosa appears to be the next Roderick Rhodes candidate, a talented prepster who can’t keep his head straight as a collegian. Even as a junior, Sosa’s hoops IQ often goes south and he’s not quite as dead-eye a perimeter shooter as he himself believes. Knowles, though more of an off guard, gets more done on both ends of the floor. Pitino indicated Saturday he wants to stick with the Smith-Knowles backcourt to see what happens.
- Samardo Samuels had all kinds of trouble getting his shot off against Ole Miss and Minnesota. He did a better job Saturday. Samuels is a horse, but he is also a freshman, and learning. He’s nowhere near the passer that David Padgett was out of the Louisville post a year ago. Agreed with Bob Knight’s commentary from the U of L-Ole Miss game, once Samuels adjusts to playing against taller foes, he has a chance to be a tremendous college player. He’s not there yet. But the expected Samuels vs. Patrick Patterson duel on Sunday will be fun to watch.
- If Terrence Williams ever puts it together on a consistent basis, NBA scouts may drown in their own drool. Williams can do it all. He can pass. He can penetrate. He can bury the jumper. He can rebound. He can defend. Problem is, he can’t do any of those things on a consistent basis. Too often, he’s veering out of control, a torrent of turnovers waiting to happen. Saturday against UAB, T-Will did a better job of staying in line, and contributed 21 points. He could be the key to the Cardinal season. And Sunday.
