Last 4 and ACC Tourney...

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

Will be very interesting to see how this team responds.

While it is true we got handled in the 2nd half @ Syracuse, the team did play well in the first half. The ball movement was pretty good offensively, better than it had been in quite some time.

Will this team find some energy to finish out the season? Or have the guys already checked out?

It's going to be interesting to see how every player performs moving forward. Team has lacked leadership all season and now is a time where leading is needed.

The expectations are no longer as high as they once were. Team could fold up, or actually play with a renewed interest and find some success. Or, the team could try pretty hard and end up just not being good enough to have success in the post season.

I've never seen a season go down quite like this one has, so I really am unsure how it plays out.

Thoughts?

 

[Cue Card]

Originally posted by Ipartiedwithhopgood:
Will be very interesting to see how this team responds.

While it is true we got handled in the 2nd half @ Syracuse, the team did play well in the first half. The ball movement was pretty good offensively, better than it had been in quite some time.

Will this team find some energy to finish out the season? Or have the guys already checked out?

It's going to be interesting to see how every player performs moving forward. Team has lacked leadership all season and now is a time where leading is needed.

The expectations are no longer as high as they once were. Team could fold up, or actually play with a renewed interest and find some success. Or, the team could try pretty hard and end up just not being good enough to have success in the post season.

I've never seen a season go down quite like this one has, so I really am unsure how it plays out.

Thoughts?

The kids will either come together and play as a team or they can go the other direction and allow the wheels to come flying off. I'm betting this team will fight to the bitter end with the best effort we've seen going forward. Harrell and Blackshear have won a national championship with this program. They both will demand they fight to the end. That doesn't mean they'll magically start making better passes with better off the ball movement. Maybe that happens. Maybe it doesn't but I do expect the defensive intensity to be played with a sense of urgency.

JMO.

 

[Mayoman]

My instinct tells me that the fate of this team lies primarily in the hands of the following 3 players: Wayne, Q, and Aaron.

Wayne has been thru the wars and is the Sr Captain that has the ability and now the opportunity to make his career soar to its greatest heights by putting this team on his back and delivering on all the potential and hype he brought to the Cards from Chicago. His scoring will directly result in the success or lack of for the rest of the season. He has to step and deliver now to the tune of 15-20 points a game..

Q just needs to play his game, distribute the ball, play adequate defense and score when needed. His passing and decision making skills will be severely tested. He has the opportunity now to start his 'Louisville roots legend' at UofL. Cream rises to the top or not. Up to him. He is being put in an awesome position.

Aaron is the mystery man of this equation....haven't seen enough of what he can do. However, it is time for him show why he was such a highly rated recruit by utilizing his shooting skills to offset some of the scoring loss of CJ. If he can do 6-10 points per game.....and play just average defense.....then he will have stepped up to the challenge. If he can not do that than.......???

Of course there could always be some other unlikely player that steps up and does what Henderson did for this team during the championship run......stranger things have happened over the years.

Whatever way this turns out......this makes for some interesting and trying times to be a Cardinal BB fan. This story is just waiting for the surprise ending to be of a positive note......Harrell, Rozier, and Blackshier deserve the best possible outcome for all that they have contributed over the years. Good fortune to them and all the Cards fans out there. Keep the faith!

 

[Mayoman]

Originally posted by Cue Card:
The kids will either come together and play as a team or they can go the other direction and allow the wheels to come flying off. I'm betting this team will fight to the bitter end with the best effort we've seen going forward. Harrell and Blackshear have won a national championship with this program. They both will demand they fight to the end. That doesn't mean they'll magically start making better passes with better off the ball movement. Maybe that happens. Maybe it doesn't but I do expect the defensive intensity to be played with a sense of urgency.

JMO.

Nailed this time Cue. The last 10 to 8 minutes were a lot of fun to watch tonight. Close wins on the road do a world of wonder in building the younger players confidence and GT was the victim tonight of the Cards new start post CJ era. Q stepped up big time, Aaron looked better.....and the vets combo of R/H/B did was was necessary to do to win the game at the end.

Bravo......and build on it. Team chemistry looked much better to me too. Thoughts?

 

[Majestic Red]

The last two will be tough, not to state the obvious.