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Cards Back In the Top 25

You can't use your example because we didn't beat Duke (who is #4) but we did beat Pitt. I would agree that if we beat Duke, UK but still had 5 losses, yes we would be ranked higher than #30, but we didn't so here we are. So the answer is just keep winning and it will take care of itself.
Had we beaten UK and Duke but still had 5 losses it would mean we lost to lesser teams, thus we still probably wouldn't be ranked.

The point I made about Duke was a reply to the 5 losses as a reason some give for the Cards not being ranked. I think we have beaten enough good teams to be ranked despite the 5 losses, as you know were all against ranked teams. If most of our 12 wins were over cupcakes and ACC bottom dwellers, then yes, we shouldn't be ranked.

So yes, I believe I can use that example. And how much more winning will it take to take care of itself? We play Syracuse and Virginia this week. Will that be enough? A 8 game winning streak be enough?

We don't have another game against a ranked team. Maybe Pitt in February?

Cards Back In the Top 25

No, no no. Each week the voters pick their top 25. There's no criteria that states a team has to work its way up to get ranked over time. They're supposed to evaluate the teams and their performance. What a teams former position on earlier polls should have NO bearing on the current week's poll.

An example would be what if the Cards beat Duke on the road instead of Pitt. Now I know that Duke would be a more impressive win, but Louisville would still have 5 losses, so to your theory, Louisville still shouldn't be ranked.

That makes no sense and some pretty big media pundits agree like Jay Bilas. A voter is supposed to consider only the current team's performance, not the year before, especially a team like Louisville that had ZERO players or coaches back from a year ago.

Take a look at the teams ranked 20 to 25 and ask yourself why those teams are ranked ahead of Louisville? The only sense it makes is the ongoing bias by voters against Louisville.

Wisconsin lost three in a roll to quad 1 and 2 teams and after winning 5 in a roll against lesser teams, are ranked.

Michigan has lost to Wake Forest and Arkansas, yet they're ranked.

Utah State? Yeah right.

Baylor is 1 and 4 against ranked teams and the rest of their wins have been mostly against non tournament teams. They're ranked #25. Why?
You’re right, but the way it usually works is that teams do move up gradually with each win.
none of this matters, rankings don't matter. if you want to win, simply win. if you want to be in the tourney simply win. if you want to make it into the late rounds simply win. rankingsschmankings. As Al Davis always said, Just win Baby! as long as we are one of the 64 teams in the main field, nothing else matters but just win. btw, history has shown that ranking for any cards team generally goes to their head sand losses soon result. stay humble and don;t give a sh&t about what others think. reality is we are an 8.5 point favorite on the road in the acc. i think that says enough about what others think so screw the rankings
True dat!

Rather have Ohio State

If you hate a team like ND, there will be plenty of reasons to minimize their accomplishments. Virtually every college football analysts looks at the OSU roster and will concede they have the very best talent, on paper they are clearly superior to ND. However, they were favored over Michigan inside the “shoe”, but lost in a game that was as meaningful as any game OSU a will ever play.

ND is playing for the coveted NC, and along with OSU they have navigated the most difficult route that any two (2) college football teams have ever taken to get there.

Again, I am no fan of ND, and I will be pulling for the Buckeyes ….. but I am not going to be the least bit surprised if ND plays OSU tough to the end. Anyone who denies ND deserving of being in this situation is simply not being objective.
That may be so and I don't hate ND by the way. I never really cared much about them and certainly not for the reasons the true haters do. Yes, they should be in a conference but I agree they have the right not to.

My grievance is totally on this seasons team and nothing else. I agree they are a very good football team. You have to be to get this far, but they're also the most fortunate team, in my opinion. It's like they have a lucky charm. Lol

Truth is I've never forgiven the Football gods for the BS that led ND to beat Louisville, and as a longtime Cards fan I just would like to see some of that good fortune. We all remember the season before the Stanford game. Could of used some of that luck against ND, SMU and Miami.

Be that as it is, I still do believe OSU will win handily against the Irish, who will no doubt to the haters, be as applauded as much as the champion Buckeyes. But sports has had its share of surprising champions and if ND does win, they will definitely be one of the most surprising.

OSU 33
ND 20

Louisville @ Syracuse

What's going on everyone. Hope you all are doing well and having a great Tuesday. No preview for tonight's game unfortunately. Have been out of town for work, and have been super busy, but we will be back at it for UVA on Saturday. I will provide a quick little rundown.

The Cards come into tonight's game on a 6 game winning streak, while Syracuse comes in on a 2 game winning streak. Cuse's overall record is 8-8 and 2-3 in conference play, with their 2 conference wins coming against BC and GA Tech. Regardless if this team is .500 or not, a conference away game will always be tough. Especially in the JMA Wireless Dome. Syracuse comes in with some talent, and definitely comes in with the size advantage against the Cards. I have no doubt PK and the boys will come out playing well, but we cannot overlook this game. I expect the team to win and cover, but it won't be as easy as everyone may think. The Cards are a -8.5 point favorite on FD.

Go Cards!

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Louisville men’s basketball will look to extend its winning streak to seven games on Tuesday evening at Syracuse at 7 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network.



Louisville enters the contest on a six-game winning streak that includes three on the road, most recently beating Pitt in Pittsburgh 82-78 on Saturday afternoon. Syracuse also picked up a road win on Saturday, beating Boston College 79-71 in Chestnut Hill, Mass.



Louisville leads the all-time series between the two programs 19-14, but trails 4-8 when playing in Syracuse. The Cardinals haven’t beat the Orange at their place since an overtime 76-72 victory on Feb. 13, 2017 - UofL has lost the last three in Syracuse and last four overall.



GAME 18

Listen:
Cardinal Sports Network (WLCL 93.9 FM & WGTK 970 AM flagship);

Streaming (Paul Rogers, pxp | Bob Valvano, analysis)

Watch: ACC Network (Doug Sherman, pxp | Eric Devendorf, analysis)

Live Stats: Syracuse Stats



CARDINAL NOTES


  • Four of Louisville’s five losses have all come to teams now ranked in the AP Top 25: No. 3 Duke (14-2), No. 6 Tennessee (15-1), No. 8 Kentucky (13-3), and No. 21 Ole Miss (14-2). As of Jan. 13, those teams, along with [RV] Oklahoma (13-3) are a combined 69-11.
  • Against Clemson on Jan. 7, J’Vonne Hadley scored 32 points, the most by any player in an ACC game up to that point in the season.
  • Against North Carolina on Jan. 1, Chucky Hepburn made 16 free throws, tying the program record for free throws made in a single game.
  • Louisville played five ranked opponents before the New Year. The Cardinals have the 12th best strength of schedule according to KenPom as of Jan. 9.
  • As of Jan.12, Louisville is ninth in the country in 3-point attempts per game (31.1).
  • As of Jan. 12, Chucky Hepburn is 10th in the country in steals per game at 2.65 and seventh in total steals with 45. Reyne Smith is third in the country in total 3-pointers made (61), fifth in total 3-point attempts (156) and sixth in 3-pointers per game (3.59).
  • Sophomore forward James Scott is fifth in the country in dunks as of Jan. 12 with 36 makes on the year, according to Bart Torvik. He leads the ACC in that category and is five dunks away from cracking Louisville’s top-15 dunks in a season list.
  • Senior guard Reyne Smith was named ACC Player of the Week on Dec. 23 for his 27-point performance at Florida State. It was just the third time in the program’s 11 years in the ACC that Louisville has had multiple ACC Player of the Week awards as Chucky Hepburn also earned that title on Dec. 2.
  • Against Florida State on Dec. 21, Chucky Hepburn and Terrence Edwards Jr. both logged eight assists apiece; it was the first Louisville game to have two Cardinals log at least eight assists each in the same game since Peyton Siva and Gorgui Deng both had eight against Syracuse in the 2013 Big East Tournament championship game.
  • Louisville’s 89-61 victory over No. 14/15 Indiana in the quarterfinals of the Battle 4 Atlantis was Louisville’s first win over a ranked team since beating No. 19/20 Virginia Tech 73-71 on Jan. 6, 2021. It’s the highest ranked opponent the Cards have beat since beating No. 3 Duke 79-73 on Jan. 18, 2020.

What's ahead for this Cards team.

My concern is the depth and fatigue. Can these guys stay healthy? Can their legs hold out? Chucky plays a lot of minutes - can his body and mind weather the storm. It is a lot to ask.
Especially with Hepburn. He's playing a ton of minutes and he plays so hard. What we need is some easy 20 point wins to rest Chucky. However, even in a weak ACC, this team isn't going to blow teams out of the gym.

Edwards is the only real answer at backing up the point guard and hopefully he improves and can get Chucky the rest he needs. I think he can and will. The first thing I noticed about this group is their ability to peservere and adapt to the teams they're playing. The basketball IQ is reminiscent of the 2013 team.

So when Hepburn has 4 fouls with 12 minutes to go, Edwards can adapt his game to being the distributor and put aside his scoring goals.

During this streak it looks like most everyone has improved since the Bahamas. Great coaching and great player dedication.
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Louisville vs Ga Tech

I have seen numerous times when Harris is up court fast enough to receive a full court pass from one of our guards for a breakaway layup. I don’t think the problem is we can’t do it I think in both the Oklahoma game as well as the Ga Tech game we had the lead the whole game both times. In both games in the 2nd half we slow the pace and run the clock and both teams were able to catch up. We lost to Oklahoma and we were able to hold on and beat Ga Tech.
Yeah it usually happens when she "snowbirds" she doesn't hustle back on defense, we get a turnover at the other end and she is still making her way back up the court. I'm not saying it happens all the time, but they can't sustain it over more than 1 or 2 possessions.
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