Louisville 2010 Preview & Predictions

Louisville Cardinals Basketball 2010-2011 Preview, Predictions, Picks & Odds

With the College Basketball 2010-2011 Season just around the corner, we are providing season previews & predictions for all NCAA basketball teams to give you the betting edge this year. Follow the best College Basketball Handicappers as they analyze their teams in this 2010-2011 basketball season preview. Be sure to bookmark SportsbookBuzz.com your source for Sportsbook Reviews. Use our comprehensive and insider info to bet successfully on the College Basketball in our recommend online sportsbooks.View the rest of our 2010-2011 NCAA Basketball Season Previews here.

Louisville Preview Picks, & Odds.

Louisville 2009-2010 Record: 20-13 overall; 11-7 Big East (Tie/5th)

Louisville Coach: Rick Pitino – At Louisville: 220-86, 9 years; overall: 572-210, 24 years

Louisville Players to Watch: If, as Pitino hopes, Terrence Williams has an Amare Stoudemire game to go with his Amare Stoudemire frame big things certainly lie ahead.

Louisville Key Losses: Samardo Samuels, F, 6-9, 260 (15.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg); Jerry Smith, G, 6-2, 200 (8.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg); Edgar Sosa, G, 6-2, 175 (13.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 4.8 apg); Reginald Delk, F, 6-4, 200 (6.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg)

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2010-2011 Louisville Season Preview

After the upheaval of last season, the Cardinals and coach Rick Pitino will no doubt be thrilled to focus on basketball and not off-court drama. Louisville moves into its unfortunately named KFC Yum! Center this season and hopes a young roster (one senior) can survive the rigors of Big East play. Four starters have departed the program, including big man Samardo Samuels, who bolted early for the NBA.

Louisville Backcourt

The Cardinals have to find a point guard. Logic says that sophomore Peyton Siva will step up, but last year’s performance, which included too many turnovers and a lot of fouls, doesn’t fill Pitino with confidence. That’s why he brought in a pair of points, Russell Smith – who prefers to dominate the ball and set himself up, as well as others – and Elisha Justice – a classic distributor who loves to make everyone else better. If they can’t handle the work, senior Preston Knowles will get the job. He can run a team but is best used as a reserve because of his shooting struggles. The euphoria surrounding Kyle Kuric’s out-ofnowhere performance against Syracuse has subsided, leaving the reality of Louisville’s off-guard hole. Kuric is a nice complementary weapon who can hit the three ball, but the Cardinals need heralded recruit Justin Coleman to emerge quickly. He won’t dazzle with his long-range marksmanship, but Coleman is strong and tough enough to keep opponents from getting to the basket. Manhattan transfer Chris Smith is a scorer who can help, but he isn’t reliable from long range.

Louisville Frontcourt

If the Cardinals are to thrive and even move forward, as Pitino suggests they will, junior forward Terrence Jennings must become more of a factor. On a team with no returning doublefigure scorer, Jennings has the potential to be a leader. The question is whether he has the desire and work ethic to make it happen. If the Cards play an aggressive, fullcourt style, it will play to Jennings’ strength. He’s an athletic big man who should beat rivals for easy buckets in transition and overwhelm them in halfcourt situations with his defense and rebounding. Pitino says he told Jennings “you can’t just physically look like Amare Stoudemire, but you’ve got to play like Amare Stoudemire.” Should Jennings accept the challenge, it will help a great deal. The loss of Samuels means it’s time for 6-8 junior Jared Swopshire to take a step forward. He has the potential to be a big-time rebounder, but he must tighten up his shot selection and finish more reliably. If he and Jennings can’t give the Cardinals an interior scoring presence, the perimeter guys don’t stand a chance. Freshman Gorgui Dieng, a 6-10 post man from Senegal, is athletic and plays good defense, but his offensive game is raw. Sophomore Rakeem Buckles showed an ability to rebound and finish close to the rack last year.

2010-2011 Louisville Predictions

Pitino has promised his athletic team will return to the “kamikaze kids” style that featured pressure all over the court and thrived on easy baskets. Whether that remarketing of the program results in winning basketball remains to be seen. Although the ‘Ville won 20 games last year for the eighth straight year, it needed a late-season surge to do so. Improving on that means Williams and several youngsters must take big steps forward.

Louisville Finish in the Big East: 10th

Louisville Betting Odds

Louisville Odds to Win 2010-2011 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament: +10000
Louisville Odds to Win the Big East: +800

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Louisville Basketball Handicapping Picks

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