Tue Feb 09 2010
LOUISVILLE - Baby steps.
That’s what Louisville coach Rick Pitino says his team must take.
Right now the Cardinals are taking them in a three-day, three-game series called the Hall of Fame Showcase at Freedom Hall.
On Sunday 20th-ranked U of L defeated Morgan State 90-81 in a workmanlike performance.
There were highlights, to be sure, the biggest coming in the second half when Samardo Samuels blocked a shot, grabbed the ball and unleashed a pass downcourt that freshman Rakeem Buckles caught up to and slammed home.
But there were also signs this team has plenty of room to grow.
Freshman guard Peyton Siva came off the bench to score nine points in 11 minutes. He also picked up four fouls.
“Coach tells me to have active hands,” Siva said, “but I’m learning when to reach and when to stay back.”
So it goes for a team that lost two first-round NBA Draft picks last year in Terrence Williams and Earl Clark.
“This was a better performance than we had last night,” Pitino said about the Morgan State game.
On Saturday afternoon the Cardinals defeated East Tennessee State 69-56. The Hall of Fame Showcase ends tonight with a game against Appalachian State.
Three games in three days isn’t fazing the Cards.
“I’d rather play a game every day,” Samuels said. “I love basketball. Our practices are just as tough as games. It’s easier to play 40-minute games.”
Samuels finished Sunday’s game with 23 points and 12 rebounds.
On defense the Cardinals had their eyes on Reggie Holmes, a senior guard who came into Sunday’s game averaging over 25 points in the Bears’ three games.
“Morgan State is a very good basketball team,” Pitino said. “They beat Maryland last year, and they have a lot of big bodies. We wanted to take away their scorer (Holmes). He’s one of the better scorers we’ll face this year.”
Mission accomplished. Holmes finished with nine points, going 4-for-12 from the floor.
“Our biggest defensive scheme was to stop Holmes,” Siva said.
But while the Cardinals stopped Holmes, two other Morgan State players stepped up.
Kevin Thompson came through with 16 points and 13 rebounds, and DeWayne Jackson finished with a team-high 21 points for the Bears. Thompson and Jackson both played less than 30 minutes before fouling out, and Holmes was in the game just 16 minutes before picking up five fouls.
There were a total of four Morgan State players who fouled out.
“We did a very good job driving and getting to the foul line,” Pitino said.
And once at the line Louisville did a good job converting, something Cardinal fans don’t expect. After hitting 70 percent from the line in its first two games, U of L shot 80.5 percent Sunday.
But while Louisville shot well from the foul line and shut down Holmes, it wasn’t able to shake Morgan State (3-1).
The Bears, defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions, made their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance last season, losing to Oklahoma in the first round. This year Morgan State is picked to repeat as MEAC champion.
Louisville was able to pull away late in the first half to take a 50-35 halftime lead, but Morgan State trailed by just five points, 65-60, midway through the second half.
With six minutes to go U of L’s lead was seven, 74-67, but the Cardinals went on a 10-2 run with eight of the points coming on free throws and they weren’t seriously threatened again.
“This team is extremely young,” Pitino said of his Cardinals, “and our older guys are not our better defensive players. They’re good offensive players but not great defensive players. They’ll get better.”
And right now they’re doing it without any practice.
“One thing about this team is they are not going to fatigue,” Pitino said. “Maybe they’ll get mentally fatigued, but every practice is difficult, so they won’t get fatigued.
“Now we have to make sure the guys who aren’t playing much don’t get out of shape,” he added with a smile, “so tonight we’re going to have them run around Minardi Hall for about an hour.”
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