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January 9, 2013
Cards face Willard, Seton Hall on Wednesday
Matt Willinger
CardinalSports.com
Louisville vs. Seton Hall
Wednesday, Jan. 9
7:02 p.m. ET
Prudential Center (10,862),
Newark, N.J.
Television: ESPN2
Radio: WKRD (840 AM)
After a week off from competition, Louisville plays its first BIG EAST Conference road game of the season as the Cardinals face Seton Hall in the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on Wednesday. Louisville won its eighth straight in beating Providence 80-62 in its BIG EAST opening game as five Cardinals scored in double figures. The Pirates (12-3, 1-1) had won seven straight before falling 74-93 at Notre Dame on Jan. 5 as Fuquan Edwin and Aaron Cosby scored 21 points each for Seton Hall.
Seton Hall (12-3, 1-1) | No. | Player | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. | Pts. | Rb. | | 2 | Brandon Mobley | F | 6-9 | 215 | So. | 9.5 | 6.6 | | 21 | Eugene Teague | C | 6-9 | 290 | Jr. | 12.9 | 8.5 | | 1 | Aaron Cosby | G | 6-2 | 190 | So. | 12.7 | 2.6 | | 10 | Kyle Smyth | G | 6-4 | 185 | Gr. | 5.6 | 2.3 | | 23 | Fuquan Edwin | G | 6-6 | 205 | Jr. | 17.9 | 5.8 |
RESERVES: Tom Maayan, Fr., G, 6-1; Haralds Karlis, So., G, 6-5; Freddie Wilson, So., G, 6-2; Brian Oliver, Jr., G/F, 6-6; Connor Laverty, Sr., G 6-0; Kevin Johnson, Fr., C, 6-9; Patrik Auda, Jr., F, 6-9; Aaron Geramipoor, Jr., C, 6-11;
HEAD COACH: Kevin Willard (Pittsburgh '97) 46-34 in 3rd year at SHU, 91-83 in 6th yr. overall
University of Louisville (13-1, 1-0)
| No. | Player | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. | Pts. | Rb. | | 24 | Montrezl Harrell | F | 6-8 | 235 | Fr. | 6.6 | 4.4 | | 21 | Wayne Blackshear | F | 6-5 | 230 | So. | 10.0 | 4.2 | | 10 | Gorgui Dieng | C | 6-11 | 235 | Jr. | 8.2 | 8.0 | | 2 | Russ Smith | G | 6-0 | 165 | Jr. | 19.7 | 3.1 | | 2 | Peyton Siva | G | 6-0 | 185 | Sr. | 11.4 | 2.0 |
RESERVES: Zach Price, C, 6-10, So.; Kevin Ware, G, 6-5, So.; Tim Henderson, G, 6-2, Jr.; Luke Hancock, G/F, 6-4, Jr.; Michael Baffour, G, 6-2, Fr.; Stephan Van Treese, C, 6-8, Sr.
HEAD COACH: Rick Pitino (Massachusetts '74) 288-107 in 12th season at UofL and 642-235 in 28th season as collegiate coach.
About Seton Hall
Louisville plays its first BIG EAST Conference road game of the season as the Cardinals face Seton Hall in the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on Wednesday. The Pirates (12-3, 1-1) had won seven straight before falling 74-93 at Notre Dame on Jan. 5 as Fuquan Edwin and Aaron Cosby -- a Louisville product from Jeffersontown High School -- scored 21 points each for Seton Hall.
The Pirates made Edwin is second in the BIG EAST in three-point field goal percentage (.500), ranks third in steals (2.5) and fourth in scoring (17.9 ppg). Center Eugene Teague ranks second in the league in rebounding (8.5 rpg).
The Pirates lead the BIG EAST in three point goals per game (8.9, 13th in the nation) and are second in three-point field goal percentage (.382, 31st in the nation). Seton Hall is No. 51 in the ratings percentage index and No. 75 in the Sagarin Ratings through games of Jan. 6.
Louisville has an 11-5 series advantage over Seton Hall, winning three straight and eight of the last 10 meetings. The Cardinals won both meetings last season: 60-51 in Newark as Gorgui Dieng produced 11 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots (1/ 28/12); and 61-55 in the second round of the BIG EAST Championship in Madison Square Garden as Peyton Siva totaled 14 points, five rebounds and six steals (3/7/12).
Behanan Out
Forward Chane Behanan suffered a sprained left ankle in practice on Monday and will not make the trip to New Jersey and will miss the Cardinals' game at Seton Hall. Freshman Montrezl Harrell (6.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg), who started UofL's opening game against Manhattan, is expected to start in place of Behanan against the Pirates.
Willard A Former Cardinal Assistant
Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard was an assistant at U of L for six years (2001-07).
The Cardinals were a combined 142-58 during Willard's six years at UofL. Willard guided the Cardinals to a 64-48 win over Houston (1/28/04) in Freedom Hall when Pitino took a short medical leave.
Seton Hall assistant coach Dan McHale was U of L's director of video operations for two years (2005-07) and was a program assistant for the Cards for another two years (2001-03).
13-1 Start For Cards
Louisville's 13-1 record is its best since the Cardinals opened with a 16-1 record in the 2003-04 season. The Cardinals were 12-2 through 14 games each of the last two seasons. It is the third time the Cards have won 13 of their first 14 games under UofL Coach Rick Pitino, also accomplishing that feat in the 2002-03 season when U of L started 18- 1.
This season, UofL began 5-0 for the third consecutive year, the first time it has had three straight 5-0 starts since the 1949-52 seasons when the Cardinals won their first five in each of those years. UofL won its first 11 games last season and its initial eight games in 2010-11.
Academic Performance at All Time High
While the University of Louisville men's basketball team has performed well on the court, the Cardinals
have excelled in the classroom as well. Grades for the 2012 UofL fall semester show 15 of the Cardinals' 17 players achieved a 3.0 or better grade point average, the most in its program history. The team produced a combined 3.41 GPA for the semester, the highest ever for the Cardinals.
The Cards preceded that performance with a 3.13 GPA for the 2012 Spring semester, with 13 of 17 players earning a 3.0 or better GPA. A dozen players are above a 3.25 cumulative GPA. The academic achievement is not new to the Cardinals.
UofL's men's basketball team earned the last two BIG EAST Conference Team Academic Excellence Awards, which recognizes the highest collective grade-point averages in each of the conference's 24 sports. The men's basketball team has hovered around a collective 3.0 GPA for nine straight semesters.
Career Milestones
Peyton Siva moved up to third in career assists at UofL with eight against Providence (533 total now) and is 12 behind No. 2 Terrence Williams (2005-09, 545 assists). Siva is just the fourth player in Uof L history with 500 career assists. Siva's 211 assists in 2011-12 were the second most ever in a UofL single season, 15 behind LaBradford Smith's 226 record assists total in 1989-90. With two steals against Western Kentucky, Siva moved up to seventh in career steals and needs six for 200 in his career (194 now). Siva is 20 short of becoming the 64th 1,000 poin scorer for UofL.
Russ Smith has 137 steals for his career (37 in 14 games this year, 2.6 average). His 87 steals last season set a new UofL record. Smith passed 700 career points against FIU and needs 33 for 800.
Gorgui Dieng needs 14 points for 600 in his career and his next rebound will be his 550th. Dieng blocked his 200th career shot in his last game against Providence, when he had four rejections.
Chane Behanan passed 500 career points vs. Western Kentucky and needs three rebounds for 400 in his career.
Stephen Van Treese needs 15 rebounds for 200 in his career.
Series vs. Seton Hall
Louisville has an 11-5 series advantage over Seton Hall, winning three straight and eight of the last 10 meetings.
Louisville won both meetings last season. In Newark, Gorgui Dieng produced his 10th career double-double with 11 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots as Louisville prevailed 60-51 over Seton Hall at the Prudential Center (1/28/12). Russ Smith scored 14 points to lead the Cardinals, which committed a season-high 24 turnovers in the game. Jordan Theodore scored 18 points to lead Seton Hall, which
In the second round of the BIG EAST Championship in Madison Square Garden, Peyton Siva totaled 14 points, five rebounds and six steals to lead UofL to a 61-55 victory (3/7/12). UofL went on a 20-6 run to open the second half in building a 15-point lead and never trailed. Gorgui Dieng had six points, 10 rebounds and six blocked shots for the Cardinals, which limited Seton Hall to 32.7 percent shooting from the field. Jordan Theodore scored 17 points to lead the Pirates.
The two teams met in a classic matchup when No. 18 Louisville defeated top-ranked Seton Hall (No. 1 AP) 73-67 at the Armory in Louisville on March 2, 1953. Chuck Noble led the Cardinals with 16 points while 6-11 All-America Walt Dukes led the Pirates with 35 points. The U of L victory avenged a 66-77 loss at Seton Hall earlier that season (12-15-52). The Cardinals went on to reach the quarterfinals of the NIT that year before falling to Manhattan.
U of L Coach Rick Pitino has an 11-2 record against Seton Hall, with four victories coming while he was the head coach at Providence (1985-87).
Cardinals Hail from New Jersey/New York Area
Two Louisville players have ties to the New Jersey and New York area. Russ Smith (Brooklyn, N.Y., Archbishop Malloy HS/South Kent School) and Kevin Ware (Bronx, N.Y.) hail from the New York
area.
New Jersey natives have been major contributors to Cardinal basketball in past years. Earl Clark scored 1,104 point and grabbed 728 rebounds in three seasons with the Cardinals (2006-09). He was the 13th pick of the 2009 NBA Draft to the Phoenix Suns and is currently a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Recent U of L graduate Taquan Dean (2002-06), from Red Bank, N.J., scored 1,649 points (12th all-time at U of L) and is the Cardinals' all-time three-point goal leader (359). Dean is currently playing
professional basketball in Italy for Sidigas Avellino.
Two of the Cardinals' top 11 all-time scorers and teammates on the Cardinals' 1986 NCAA Championship team -- guard Milt Wagner (1981-86, 1,836 career points) and forward Billy Thompson (1982-86, 1,685) -- both hailed from Camden, N.J. Former Camden guard Kevin Walls was also a member of that championship team. Nate Johnson (1996-2000) is another Camden product that scored 1,513 career points at U of L, 18th on the Cards' career scoring list.
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