LOUISVILLE HUNTS BIG EAST TITLE IN MORGANTOWN

March 7 2009


By Zach Smart

No longer regarded as a team front-loaded with sharpshooters, analysts have enjoyed watching the development of the youth movement at West Virginia.

Though WVU coach Bobby Huggins typically dreads playing freshman immediately and does his best to get them acclimated to his sophisticated defense, he took a different route this year.

The triumvirate of Kevin Jones, Devin Ebanks, and Darryl "Truck" Bryant have grown by leaps and bounds in one season in Morgantown. They've helped complement the 1-2 punch of Da'Sean Butler and Alex Ruoff. Butler, who erupted for a wowing 43-point showing during a significant victory over Villanova, is averaging a team-high 17 ppg, Ruoff 16.

Ruoff, recruited by John Beilein as strictly a three-point sniper, has also undergone a great deal of player development. He barrels his way to the basket with ease now, as opposed to hanging out on the perimeter. He takes people off the dribble and bursts out a nice, step-back jumper. He's even gotten his elbows dirty and developed a nose for the ball, delivering put-backs and scoring on second chance opportunities. While this aspect of his game has panned out as of late, he's no Mike Gansey. Speaking of the 6-foot-4 freak with pogo stick hops, anyone know the white wonder of the world's whereabouts?

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But this is Louisville, folks, a team with enough talent and depth and experience to pencil in as a potential final four team.

The Cardinals rolled away with a 69-63 victory last time the two teams met, albeit WVU fought valiantly. The Cardinals nearly surrendered a bulky 20-point edge but were able to group together and gut out the victory.

The Cardinals shot nearly 56 percent from the floor and got a major boost from their role players, who made up for pin-drop quiet nights from Terrence Williams and Earl Clark.

Jerry Smith scorched the nets to the tune of a season-high 20 points. He shot the rock at a 7-for-8 clip and the Mountaineers, once the team that bred shooters from the farm, had no answer.

They closed it to within four points with 2:16 remaining, but the Cardinals wouldn't falter.

Louisville has been on a tear, ripping off six consecutive victories after an embarrassing, 90-57 washout at Notre Dame. They've beaten opponents by a whopping 20.4 points during their recent win streak, showing no mercy. The streak is underscored by an 18-point victory over Georgetown and a tight, four-point victory that knocked Marquette out of the chase for conference supremacy.

Earl Clark, who will bolt for the NBA after this season, has been a big part of the team's success.

The 6-foot-9 New Jersey native who's received athletic gifts from God that GMs and agents brawl for had 27 points and 14 boards during the 95-78 win the Cardinals stamped on Seton Hall. Against Georgetown, Clark got to the charity stripe--where he was 9-for-13-- early and often.

Simply put, Clark is the reputable five-tool talent in basketball. He can shoot, distribute, handle the ball, bang, and play defense. Having Clark in uniform certainly helps Rick Pitino and Louisville's NCAA Odds.

Terrence Williams, who's sky-rocketed to stardom his senior year, has been just as efficient. He's averaging 12.6 points but like his teammate, he can provide balance in the stat sheet and his defense and strength could prove problematic.

West Virginia has had their fair share of eye-popping wins this year. A 30-point clubbing of Ohio State and the aforementioned victory over Villanova stand out for themselves.

Against a Louisville team that's starting to feel the mayhem that the month of March inevitably creates--and obviously, the Cardinals have ripped through the tail end of their conference schedule in shark-size bites--an upset seems unlikely.

Louisville Playing for Share of Big East Crown (SportingNews.com)
Alex Ruoff Ready to Enter WVU Record Books (Times West Virginian)
Can’t Turn it over vs. Cards (Charleston Gazette)
It’s All in the Cards (wvmetronews.com)
WVU Students Pumped for ESPN Gameday Visit (Charleston Gazette)
A Full Event of Memories Hits Morgantown in Finale (Wheeling Register)
Flowers Doing the Little Things (Wheeling Register)
Ready to Go (Times West Virginian)
A Lot on the Line for Cardinals (Louisville Courier-Journal)


NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 67
Louisville 65