BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: Louisville @ Syracuse

February 18, 2006


There probably has not been a more disappointing scenario for ESPN this year then the disappointing seasons suffered by Syracuse and Louisville in the Big East. When they put together their "dream" TV schedule, this did have the makings of an important Big East conference match-up and a good bet to have an ESPN Gameday production. However, both have losing records in the conference and Louisville is not even on the NCAA bubble in any seriousness at this time and Syracuse has been heading south, quickly.


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Syracuse hit rock-bottom on Wednesday night when they were blown out, on their home floor, by a Cincinnati team they had demolished just a month earlier. When it was all said and down, Syracuse lot in every category that required effort, rebounding, defense, etc. And, the Syracuse faithful let the team hear it as the boos rained down from the rafters as Jim Boeheim cleared his bench as the Carrier Dome cleared out with still more than four minutes left in the game.

Things have not been any better at Louisville this year. Injuries have made the chance for any consistency impossible and a few academic suspensions have also thrown a wrench into the development of some freshmen. A light non-conference might have glossed over some of the short-comings, but the unforgiving Big East quickly exposed the Cardinals.

Louisville has five conference games left, after their trip to Syracuse they host DePaul before wrapping up with West Virginia (road), Marquette and Connecticut (road) and having to find, most likely, two wins to earn just a conference tournament bid, the Cardinals really must find a way to win this game.

Syracuse, on the other hand, plays a primetime game Saturday night and then must turnaround and lace them up on Monday when they host West Virginia Monday night. A tough task for a team fighting for the NCAA lives and an aspect of the conference scheduling that just burns coach Boeheim. The they finish out with road games at Georgetown and DePaul before closing the Gerry McNamara era in the Dome with a home game against Villanova. To insure their NCAA bid, they must win three games, to leave thier fate up to the committee, they still need to find two wins, so the Louisville game is a must have.

I do think the Orange bounce of the bottom they have hit and play with more life against the Cardinals. The crowd will quickly be behind their Orange again and their inside game will find things much more easier against a Louisville group that likes the physical game even less than Syracuse does. This is not the typical 3-pt shooting proficient Rick Pitino team we are used to and not having a true PG to crack the Syracuse zone will be their downfall. It almost sounds like my prediction for Syracuse against Cincinnati, and that did not turn out well, but, this one looks to be Syracuse's night.

NBE Blogger Prediction:
Syracuse 70 Louisville 65