Louisville coach Rick Pitino said Tuesday he's still working to find the right lineup to suit his No. 11 ranked Cardinals. Louisville (7-1) faces Southern Illinois (5-3) Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville.
"It's not ideal, but it's likely what we need to keep doing," Pitino said, noting he expects to use four or five players in the paint until a pair of players become more reliable.
Pitino's shuffle in the low block has been made more complicated recently because 7-foot center Anas Mahmoud missed the last game and will miss both games this week with a concussion.
"The medical file on Anas is about this thick," Pitino said, motioning. "He just takes a little longer to come back, actually about 50 percent long to return that other players - and from everything, not just this concussion. ... But it has allowed us to get a better look at Matz (Stockman)."
The good news for Pitino is that he has options. Louisville's roster is loaded with talented big men - 6-9 starting forward Jaylen Johnson, 6-10 starting center Mangok Mathiang, 6-10 Ray Spalding, 7-0 Mahmoud and 7-1 Stockman.
The Salukis only have one player taller than 6-foot-8 on roster, 6-9 sophomore post Rudy Stradnieks, who averages just 2.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. But Pitino said his crew can't take the Salukis lightly.
"They are a veteran team," Pitino said. "They won't be intimidated by us, that's for sure."
Pitino said he likes what he has seen in practice from a tall, quick lineup of 6-6 VJ King at one guard spot, 6-7 Deng Adel at another and Spalding in the post. That lineup provides Louisville with its most-athletic lineup, Pitino said Tuesday.
While Louisville would prefer to speed things up, SIU coach Barry Hinson is known for slowing down the pace of a game. His teams are infamous for grinding defensive pressure, but he says they are having to change their ways this season with the NCAA's new emphasis on flow of action.
“Getting up on guys — those days are over,” Hinson told the SIU Daily Egyptian. “I’m an old school guy. I’ve always been about get in their grill, get up, get in them, bother them — do all this stuff. Those days are over.”
Hinson said he blames himself for not preparing his team for the changes better earlier this season.
“I think we’re finally starting to adjust a little bit,” Hinson said. “We fouled way too much in the first part of the season. We were way too aggressive on our defense with our hands and not getting into position and not moving, so I don’t think that’s as much our players’ fault as it is my fault.”
The Salukis started the season off with a tough 85-81 home loss to Wright State before falling 90-65 at Aransas. SIU returned home to beat Missouri Southern State, SIU-Edwardsville and Mount St. Mary's before a 57-45 road loss at Minnesota on Nov. 25. SIU beat Murray State 89-65 in overtime last Tuesday and most recently beat Texas Southern 74-70.
Cat quick senior guard Mike Rodriguez (14.5 ppg) and senior guard Leo Vincent (11.6 ppg) take the bulk of SIU's shots along with 6-4 wing Armon Fletcher (13.5 ppg).
"They are a veteran ballclub," Pitino said. "Rodriguez is always getting into the lane. Vincent can score. You have five guys scoring the ball. They play the game the right way."
The Cardinals started the season 5-0 with wins over Evansville, William & Mary, Long Beach State, Old Dominion and Wichita State before falling to No. Baylor in the Battle 4 Atlantis title game 66-63. Since then, Louisville took down then-No. 15 Purdue 71-64 and beat Grand Canyon in Phoenix 79-70.
“I watched them play Purdue,” Hinson said. “I didn’t sleep that night at all.”
Hinson, only half kidding about his lack of sleep, said he wants his team loose and ready to play Wednesday night.
“You know what? Let’s lace them up and let’s go,” Hinson said. “We’ve got nothing to lose when we go there and we’re going to play. It’ll be a great opportunity. I’m looking forward to it.”
"It's not ideal, but it's likely what we need to keep doing," Pitino said, noting he expects to use four or five players in the paint until a pair of players become more reliable.
Pitino's shuffle in the low block has been made more complicated recently because 7-foot center Anas Mahmoud missed the last game and will miss both games this week with a concussion.
"The medical file on Anas is about this thick," Pitino said, motioning. "He just takes a little longer to come back, actually about 50 percent long to return that other players - and from everything, not just this concussion. ... But it has allowed us to get a better look at Matz (Stockman)."
The good news for Pitino is that he has options. Louisville's roster is loaded with talented big men - 6-9 starting forward Jaylen Johnson, 6-10 starting center Mangok Mathiang, 6-10 Ray Spalding, 7-0 Mahmoud and 7-1 Stockman.
The Salukis only have one player taller than 6-foot-8 on roster, 6-9 sophomore post Rudy Stradnieks, who averages just 2.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. But Pitino said his crew can't take the Salukis lightly.
"They are a veteran team," Pitino said. "They won't be intimidated by us, that's for sure."
Pitino said he likes what he has seen in practice from a tall, quick lineup of 6-6 VJ King at one guard spot, 6-7 Deng Adel at another and Spalding in the post. That lineup provides Louisville with its most-athletic lineup, Pitino said Tuesday.
While Louisville would prefer to speed things up, SIU coach Barry Hinson is known for slowing down the pace of a game. His teams are infamous for grinding defensive pressure, but he says they are having to change their ways this season with the NCAA's new emphasis on flow of action.
“Getting up on guys — those days are over,” Hinson told the SIU Daily Egyptian. “I’m an old school guy. I’ve always been about get in their grill, get up, get in them, bother them — do all this stuff. Those days are over.”
Hinson said he blames himself for not preparing his team for the changes better earlier this season.
“I think we’re finally starting to adjust a little bit,” Hinson said. “We fouled way too much in the first part of the season. We were way too aggressive on our defense with our hands and not getting into position and not moving, so I don’t think that’s as much our players’ fault as it is my fault.”
The Salukis started the season off with a tough 85-81 home loss to Wright State before falling 90-65 at Aransas. SIU returned home to beat Missouri Southern State, SIU-Edwardsville and Mount St. Mary's before a 57-45 road loss at Minnesota on Nov. 25. SIU beat Murray State 89-65 in overtime last Tuesday and most recently beat Texas Southern 74-70.
Cat quick senior guard Mike Rodriguez (14.5 ppg) and senior guard Leo Vincent (11.6 ppg) take the bulk of SIU's shots along with 6-4 wing Armon Fletcher (13.5 ppg).
"They are a veteran ballclub," Pitino said. "Rodriguez is always getting into the lane. Vincent can score. You have five guys scoring the ball. They play the game the right way."
The Cardinals started the season 5-0 with wins over Evansville, William & Mary, Long Beach State, Old Dominion and Wichita State before falling to No. Baylor in the Battle 4 Atlantis title game 66-63. Since then, Louisville took down then-No. 15 Purdue 71-64 and beat Grand Canyon in Phoenix 79-70.
“I watched them play Purdue,” Hinson said. “I didn’t sleep that night at all.”
Hinson, only half kidding about his lack of sleep, said he wants his team loose and ready to play Wednesday night.
“You know what? Let’s lace them up and let’s go,” Hinson said. “We’ve got nothing to lose when we go there and we’re going to play. It’ll be a great opportunity. I’m looking forward to it.”
