BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: Louisville @ Rutgers

January 28, 2006

A pair of 2-4 conference teams meet Saturday at the RAC when Louisville travels to New Jersey to meet Rutgers in a Big East conference game. I do not think either team was expecting to be under .500 in the conference after six games. Louisville, in their first season in the Big East, has been hit hard by the injury big that just doesn't seem to want the Cardinals to get away. Rutgers, well, seems too much of the same 'ol same 'ol for Gary Waters' program as they fell behind by 20 points in the first half, at home, to Providence and lost by 10.

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Louisivlle showed some impressive life in their last game, a 67-50 home win over Cincinnati and the Cardinals got just what the doctor ordered, a win. With their top player Taquan Dean back in the line-up, everything about Louisville looked better. With a brutal conference schedule, Louisville has very little margin for error ahead, so winning on the road in this spot is of the utmost importance. Dean, who missed their loss to St John's in Madison Square Garden, returns to his home state (Dean is a native of Neptune, NJ) of New Jersey in a homecoming of sorts.

Rutgers usually likes to rely on some RAC magic to spring a few surprises a year and they were hoping to capitalize on that magic this season to make some noice in the conference and nationally. Off to just a 1-3 start in the conference at home (losing to Villanova, Pitt and PC while beating SHU), they find their backs against the wall with three straight losses and three road contests (SU, SHU, ND) following Saturday's game. Following their loss to Providence, the Scarlet Knights should have a spirited effort up their sleeve and a crowd ready to rock the RAC.

To get the home faithful excited, Quincy Douby can not duplicate his 5-20 shooting effort against Providence in this game. As Rutgers sole respected scoring threat, there is simply no room for error from their junior scoring machine. Douby definitely relishes his role as the all-important go-to-guy for Rutgers, but he will need help. Anthony Farmer has been in a deep shooting slump since injuring his wrist and injuries to Adrian Hill (knee) and Byron Joynes (shoulder) seems to keep popping up and slowing their interior production. The talented JR Inman has yet to find a consistent role in the offense, besides some 3-pt shooting here and there and senior Marquis Webb is more of a defensive contributor than an offensive threat.

Louisville looked like a different team on Wednesday night, but now they have to do it on the road. Rutgers is not the same type of physical defenders on the perimeter as St John's is, who gave the Cardinals a lesson on physical play, but Webb is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league and will pose a big threat to Dean's production. David Padgett was hobbled again by a sore knee against Cincinnati, so his status is a big concern. Juan Palacios should find a favorable match-up in this game and is coming off an impressive 19-pt, 12-rebound performance against Cincinnati last time out.

Sometime this season, the RAC has to jump up and bite someone. No time seems better than when the Scarlet Knights are coming off a disappointing home loss and being counted out with Louisville riding a bit of a high off their win over Cincinnati and Villanova peeking their head around the corner for a Wednesday night game.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Rutgers 66 Louisville 65