BACON'S BITS: CATS TOP CARDS, 75-73

By Mark Bacon

Kentucky defeated in-state arch rival, Louisville yesterday, 75-73, in Rupp Arena. They were as evenly matched as they have been in a while; flawed but also with promise.

• There were great individual performances. Louisville got 27 points from Damion Lee and 15 from Trey Lewis. Kentucky got 21 points from Tyler Ulis and 14 from Alex Poythress.

• Louisville had a chance, with 12.5 seconds left and the ball, to tie the game or win it. Despite Kentucky making 11 out of 23 threes.

• The Cards erased a 16-point deficit in the second half and had this last chance. Lee took the ball, tried to drive on Poythress, was cut off, and stepped back to try a three. He also briefly lost control of the ball when his hand brushed his jersey, and misfired on the game’s final shot.

• Lee’s tenacity in a tough road environment, and freshman Donovan Mitchell’s second-half contributions, are noteworthy.

• U of L outscored UK 38-24 in the paint, 18-14 off turnovers, 23-11 on second-chance points, 6-0 on the fast break and 19-18 off the bench. It outrebounded the Cats 39-29 on its home court. It outscored Kentucky 37-31 in the second half, and at Rupp Arena, shot just three fewer free throws and made only one fewer.

• You do all those things, you should win. But kudos to Kentucky. Ulis making threes from NBA distance. Dominique Hawkins burying three of four threes to finish with 13 points.

• Pitino went with his 2-3 matchup zone defense. Kentucky responded by shooting alights out from three-point range. Wildcats win their fourth straight over the Cardinals, and eighth of the past nine between the teams.

• “Look, they made jump shots that I wouldn’t want my guys to take,” Pitino told Bob Valvano in his postgame radio interview. “So you have to give them credit. Here’s a kid (Hawkins) that’s 1 for 9 and makes 3 out of 4. You’ve got to give them credit. That was the difference-maker in the game. They’re literally 7-8 feet behind the line, they make the shot. (Quentin Snider) has to know with Ulis. Hawkins is one thing, but Q had to know to get up on Ulis with time running out (on the shot clock). Just credit them.”

• Now, what everyone is talking about is a finger that Rick Pitino may or may not have flashed at a fan on his way up the tunnel after the postgame handshakes.

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MARK MY WORDS: SKINS TOP EAGLES, CLAIM NFC EAST TITLE

By Mark Bacon

Quarterback Kirk Cousins threw for four touchdowns, and safety DeAngelo Hall added another as the Washington Redskins overcame the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-24. Washington’s offense outgained Philadelphia’s 418 yards to 398, and won the NFC East Title.

The Skins won the NFC East for the first time since 2012 and only the second time in the past 16 seasons.

• As division champs, Washington will host a playoff game Jan. 9 or 10, with Seattle (9-5), Green Bay (10-4) or Minnesota (9-5) their likely opponent.

• The victory, and the turnaround it represented for a franchise that had won just seven games the previous two seasons, was a vindication of Coach Jay Gruden’s decision to run his offense with QB Kirk Cousins, convinced his upside outweighed the sketchy résumé Cousins compiled over the past three seasons of spot duty in relief of Robert “Bob” Griffin III.

• It also validated Scot McCloughan’s first season as Redskins general manager. Particularly, the tough-nosed identity he instilled through his draft picks and free agent acquisitions.

• After starting this season 2-4, Washington has now won four of its past five and is assured of finishing at least .500. With the Jan. 3 regular season finale remaining, the Skins have won more games this season (eight) than they did the past two seasons combined (seven).

• Cousins finished 31 of 46 for 356 yards and four touchdowns — including two strikes to tight end Jordan Reed, who set a new single-season record for receiving yards by a Redskins tight end in the process.

• To open the second half, Cousins drove the Redskins 54 yards, firing a 12-yard strike to running back Chris Thompson to get his team back on track.

• “I’m very proud of Kirk,” said Gruden, “We had the debacle at the end of the half. A normal guy could have gone in the tank there. But he kept his composure — just like he has all year, just like he has his whole career — kept his nose to the grindstone, kept battling and competing.” Cousins has now thrown 26 touchdowns to 11 interceptions this season.

• The Eagles did counter, with DeMarco Murray carrying four yards for a touchdown that made the score 23-17.

• Philly fans were still celebrating when Murray fumbled on Philadelphia’s next drive and veteran safety DeAngelo Hall scooped up the ball and run it 17 yards for a touchdown, extending Washington’s lead to 30-17.

• Cousins’s fourth strike, to Garçon, 8 minutes 55 seconds remaining, and a subsequent two-point conversion, to compensate for a missed extra point earlier in the game, made it 38-17.

• It’s the first time since 1999 the Skins have locked up a playoff berth before the end of the regular season. Picked by most pundits to finish last in the division, the Skins are an improbable playoff team.

• They have clinched a spot in the postseason without beating a single team that currently has a winning record. And after losing 14 players — more than one-fourth of a 53-man NFL roster — to season-ending injury.

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BACON'S BITS: CARDS CRUSH UTAH VALLEY, 98–68

Coach Rick Pitino, Christine Minardi and Minardi Classic MVP Trey Lewis

By Mark Bacon

Louisville overwhelmed Utah Valley 98-68 on Wednesday night in the finale of the Billy Minardi Classic at the KFC Yum! Center. The Cards shot 55.4 percent, dished out 19 assists and cruised for the second straight night over a team not able to mount much of a challenge.

The team now turns its attention to a Saturday showdown at rival Kentucky, which has beaten Louisville seven of the last eight meetings.

• U of L easily got its points against Utah Valley (5-8), as it has for the most part against 10 other non-power-conference teams to this juncture in the season. The Cards shot 69 percent in the first half and finished over 50 percent for the ninth time this season.

• "For most teams, just to walk in the gym and shoot 70 percent from the floor (for a half) with no defense is sometimes challenging," said Utah Valley coach Mark Pope. "They really shoot it well and are really long, really, really long. I would have to think they are a top-five, top-seven team in the country right now with (Pitino) running things the way he does."

• U of L displayed its depth, with nine players scoring in the first half. The Cards made 9 of 22 3-point shots, including 7 of 11 before halftime. 

• Guard Trey Lewis led U of L with 21 points and seven rebounds in being named Billy Minardi Classic MVP. Quentin Snider and Damion Lee, the other two starting backcourt players, tallied 15 and 11 points, respectively.

• A night after posting a career-high 10 points against Missouri-Kansas City, Jaylen Johnson contributed eight points and six rebounds in 25 minutes – the most of any frontcourt player.

• Chinanu Onuaku, possibly the most physically imposing post player in the UK-U of L game, again saw his time limited by foul trouble. He picked up two fouls in the first 10 minutes. But he was productive when in the game, making all three of his shots, scoring six points with six rebounds, four assists and four blocks.

• While the Cards dazzled again on offense, it received additional defensive help from 7-footer Anas Mahmoud, who returned from an injury to block four shots and looked like a consistent presence protecting the rim.

• Louisville also got a lift from freshman wing Deng Adel, in his second game back from missing a month with a sprained knee. Adel had eight points in 15 minutes.

• “We’ve had an easy road, there’s no question about it,” Pitino said. “But now we’re going to have a very tough road. These guys, I think, will be up for the challenge.” U of L tips off against UK Saturday at high noon. The game will be broadcast by CBS.

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Quick Thoughts on UL vs UK

By Haven Harrington @mesports

In just a few short days the Battle for the Bluegrass will be upon us. UK fans are confident that they are going to win and they should be. Calipari has owned Rick Pitino since he has been at UK. In fact, in the last several years, this hasn't been much of a rivalry. It's been Big Blue domination. However, I think this is the first year in a long time that UL has a good shot at knocking off UK.

We can talk about match ups until we are blue in the face. Who will guard who, what player has the advantage over the other, etc. But I think this will come down to one thing. UL's advantage in the paint. Even without Mango UL has a serious size and depth advantage. Don't get me wrong, UK has height, but not size. Skal is a great talent, but he is extremely skinny. Marcus Lee is 6'9", but weighs 205 lbs. UL on the other hand has plethora of low post players and guys with size. Onuaku, Anas Mahmoud, Jaylen Johnson, Deng Adel, Ray Spalding, and even Matz Stockman. UCLA, Ohio State, and even Duke were able to take advantage of UK's lack of size in the post. Duke eventually lost because of UK's superior guard play, but the other two teams found ways to win after they exploited the low post. Speaking of guard play...

This is where I think UK and UL are pretty much even. UK has great guards, led by Tyler Ulis. He's the perfect court general for this team. Jamal Murray is a beast and will be a great guard at the next level. Isiah Briscoe is another tremendous talent. UL will match them with Quentin Snyder, Trey Lewis and Damian Lee. The UK guards are slightly better at driving the lane, but UL's guards are hands down the better shooters of the bunch. The guard match ups are going to be fun to watch.  If Lee and Lewis keep shooting like they have all season, especially from 3, this will put a lot of pressure on UK's guards to try and match them. Especially knowing that UL "should" dominate the paint. The scary part for UL fans is that UK's guards are up to the challenging. Murray may be listed as a freshman, but he has ton of experience. Playing with the Canada national team has made Murray battle tested. He and Ulis are not going to fold. Even with that said I'll have to give the edge to UL. UK is a team that depends on its guards, but UK is not a good 3 point shooting team.  UK shoots 29.7% from 3 which makes them the 310th best 3 point shooting team in D1.  UL is the 59th ranked 3 pt shooting, hitting 38% of their 3's. If guard play is about equal, then I'll go with the better shooting guards.

Like I said in the beginning. This is UL's best shot at beating UK. UL has a decided low post advantage and a slight advantage at guard play. But, as we all know strange things often happen in rivalry games. It seems like every year UK has a guy who comes off the bench and has a career night.    I don't think that will be enough this year. UL has too much down low even with Mango out. I look for UL to finally end the streak and make this a rivalry once more.

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MARK MY WORDS: "YOU LIKE THAT?!"; COUSINS LEADS SKINS OVER BILLS, 35-25

By Mark Bacon

A new chant was heard at a Washington’s FedEx Field on Sunday chanted by 80,204 fans. It was “You Like That! You Like That!”

It was a  tribute to quarterback Kirk Cousins, who threw for four touchdowns and ran for another, leading the Washington Redskins to a 35-25 victory over the Buffalo Bills, a scenario that seemed very unlikely several weeks ago.

• Cousins was one-tenth of a point shy of statistical perfection in Sunday’s FedEx Field season home finale, based on the NFL passer-rating metric. He completed 22 of 28 throws for 319 yards, four touchdowns and a 13-yard run for another score.

• DeSean Jackson caught six passes for 153 yards — including an dazzling 77-yard touchdown that put to rest any thought of a Bills comeback. Jackson’s speed was so blinding as he raced into the end zone, it forced Bills Coach Rex Ryan to recognize the three-time Pro Bowl honoree.

• “Needless to say, it broke our back there,” Ryan said of the play. “I never thought [Jackson] was Jerry Rice, but I guess I was wrong.”

• With the victory, the Redskins strung together back-to-back victories for the first time this season, improved to 7-7 (.500 for the first time since Week 4) and, with the Giants’ 38-35 loss to Carolina, moved into first place in the NFC East. The Philadelphia Eagles also dropped a game back when they fell to the Arizona Cardinals, 40-17, on Sunday night.

• Tight end Jordan Reed caught two touchdown passes. And running back Alfred Morris rushed for 84 yards.

• Cousins spread credit for the victory to the entire team: to balanced play-calling; to solid protection by the offensive line,; and to his receivers, who adjusted when throws were less than perfect.

• I can go on and on about DeSean, Pierre [Garcon] and [Jamison] Crowder and Jordan Reed,” Cousins said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who can catch the football for us and make plays and be electric.”

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BACON'S BITS: CARDS VICTORY OVER HILLTOPPERS COSTLY

By Mark Bacon

• Quentin Snider scored 16 points and No. 19 Louisville had little problem defeating Western Kentucky 78-56 on Saturday.

• Trey Lewis scored 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting and Damion Lee also had 15 points for the Cardinals (9-1). Chinanu Onuaku, the fourth Card in double figures, had his first double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

• The Cards victory proved costly: U of L’s junior forward Mangok Mathiang broke a bone in his foot, Coach Rick Pitino announced after the game. The injury happened in the second half with just over 11 minutes remaining.

• Mathiang, who was averaging 7.6 point and 5.8 rebounds in 18 minutes per game, will miss six to eight weeks, which would project him back sometime near the start of February.

• With Anas Mahmoud (high ankle sprain) already on the bench, it's not ideal for Louisville to enter UK week potentially missing two of its five big men. That leaves a much smaller margin for error in terms of Chinanu Onuaku's foul issues.

• The win gives Louisville a 40-39 lead over Western Kentucky in the all-time series between the two schools. It is the first time the Cards have held the advantage over WKU since 1932.

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BACON'S BITS: CARDS FEAST ON (YET ANOTHER) HOLIDAY CUPCAKE

By Mark Bacon

Last night, the No. 19-ranked University of Louisville basketball team crushed Kennesaw State 94-57.  The Cards again demonstrated their ability to beat cupcake teams with  their offensive prowess. Players know it; Coaches know it. But Coach Rick Pitino is trying to impress upon his players is that those days are coming to an end.

• “We are in need of some good competition,” Pitino said as he walked into his postgame news conference. “. . . It’s not any fun for you to watch; it’s not any fun, these lopsided victories. But, that being said, this team, with all new players, it’s good to have these games to pick up things and work on things, because the competition that lies ahead is immense. There are going to be a lot of one-point and two-point games coming up.”

• As a result of playing yet another inferior opponent, Pitino used the evening as a teaching opportunity. U of L played match-up zone on every possession. It wasn’t always pretty. Young players are still struggling with the assignments—particularly the 3 and 4 spots—and knowing when to bump opponents to the outside, and who covers opponents flashing into the zone’s seam.

• “We tried to play all zone tonight. You can see that we’re not where we were last year,” Pitino said. “Donovan’s very confused. Ray (Spalding) is very confused. Jaylen (Johnson is confused.) We’ll just keep working on it. It’s good experience in that regard. . . . We’re going to be 85 percent man (defense) this year. . . . We’re still getting beat, Q got beat too much off the bounce. We’ve got to shore that up.”

• Kennesaw State had 11 turnovers against 12 for U of L; they also had 8 steals vs. 6 for U of L. Cupcakes not only cause cavities, they can create bad habits.

• There were some spectacular moments. Several highlight-reel dunks by Donovan Mitchell, fantastic lobs from Quentin Snider, and another hot shooting night for the Cards, who shot better than 50 percent for the eighth time this season. That matches the number of times they did it all last season.

• In addition to Damion Lee’s team leading 18 points, Louisville got 16 points on 8 of 10 shooting from Chinanu Onuaku, and 13 from Trey Lewis. Mitchell had 10, and Snider had 9 points and a season high 8 assists.

• The Cards’ 40 field goals were the most they had made in a game since 2010. There’s a danger of forgetting that, in most games, offense won’t be enough, Pitino said after the game.

• “Offensively, we’re a dangerous team, so tonight what I didn’t like is we tried to win with offense,” Pitino said. “And we did. But I would like to see us play a better matchup zone than we did tonight.”

I would like to see quality opponents; gaining weight from all the cupcakes Louisville feeds us.

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MARK MY WORDS: SKINS GET BEARS AND MONKEY OFF THEIR BACKS

By Mark Bacon

Washington got the road monkey off their back yesterday, winning their first game away from FedEx Field this season, 24-21. The Bears dropped to 1-6 at Soldier Field this year and have lost consecutive games at home. The Redskins, who were a combined 0-10 on the road, ended a nine-game road losing streak, tied for their longest in franchise history. DC is now 2-12 away from home under Coach Jay Gruden.

• Did you think the Skins were going to cruise to an easy win after taking 14-point leads on two separate occasions … HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! After Washington went ahead 21-7 on their first drive of the second half, the Bears marched 80 yards on 10 plays to score their first third-quarter touchdown of the season.

• Washington showed no signs of a Dallas hangover on their first possession, going 80 yards on a 15-play touchdown drive, that consumed more than eight minutes. The offense looked nothing like it did in Monday’s bitter loss to the Cowboys; fullback Darrel Young was on the field, Cousins ran bootlegs and the Skins threw the ball on first down. No kidding!

• Jordan Reed was Washington’s most dangerous player on offense, and it wasn’t close. Reed finished with nine catches for 120 yards and a touchdown.

• QB Kirk Cousins completed 24 of 31 passes for 300 yards, 

• Alfred Morris carried eight times for 17 yards on the opening drive and bulled his way to a one-inch touchdown run. His first of the season. Hmmmmm.

• At one juncture, on second and goal from the Chicago three, Cousins kept the ball and jogged into the end zone. It was his fourth rushing touchdown this season; Captain Kirk did not hit the Dab. 

• Cousins’s first interception in three games came at a bad spot, deep in Washington territory. He floated a pass for Pierre Garçon that was picked off by the Bears’ Kyle Fuller. Three plays later, the Bears pulled even on a Matt Forte touchdown run.

• The Skins answered with a 47-yard field goal by Dustin Hopkins on their next possession. DeSean Jackson, hobbled for much of the second half, accounted for 29 of Washington’s 51 yards on the scoring drive with a gorgeous diving catch along the sideline.

• The more this season continues for Washington, the more one has to admire Coach Jay Gruden’s decision to go with Cousins as his quarterback. And the more you have to admire Kirk Cousins for becoming a difference maker in the face of fierce criticism.

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BACON'S BITS: Cards Ground Eagles, 86-53

By Mark Bacon

On Wednesday, December 9, my colleague at Main Event Sports Radio, Raashaan Myer posted a piece on our blog, “U of L Basketball showing early Final Four DNA.” Raashaan is not only a great friend, but an astute observer of basketball. Mr. Myer has been saying since the summer Louisville is a very special team.

I’m a believer. As guard Trey Lewis has stated, there is no limit to what the team can achieve. Final Four? Believe it.

• The Cardinals' wins have have all been by a least 20 points; their one loss? By four-points at number one ranked Michigan State. Yesterday, Louisville began slowly in an 86-53 rout of Eastern Michigan, but once they got going, the EMU Eagles could do nothing about it.

• U of L garnered a season high 20 assists on 31 made field goals. They also had 7 blocks and 11 steals, hit 54% from the field, 36% from beyond the arc, and shot 16/21 from the free throw line: 76%. 

• A pair of freshmen led the way, Donovan Mitchell and Raymond Spalding, who is quickly becoming my favorite Cardinal.

• Mitchell, a 6-3 freshman, showed more than the aerial artistry one can see on YouTube from his prep days. He handed out seven assists, grabbed six rebounds and two steals. He was on the deck, literally, maybe a half-dozen times in 28 solid minutes to help the Cards to another shellacking of an inferior opponent.

• Mitchell scored just five points, going 2 of 7 from the field, but matched starting PG Quentin Snider for playing time at the point guard spot, which tells something about what Coach Pitino thinks of his recent efforts.

• Pitino said “He had a practice the other day, we had a pro scout in and he said, ‘Boy, I didn’t realize he (Mitchell) was that good.’ He just had an unbelievable practice that day, and actually the last week of practice he’s been great. He’s getting more comfortable handling the basketball, he’s improved his shot immensely, he’s improved his passing.”

• Raymond Spalding, the 6-foot-10 freshman from Louisville’s Trinity HS, had a fantastic first half, snapping U of L out of its early-game funk. Spalding had six points (3-3 FG), two rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal. That stat line doesn't fully tell the story of his influence on the game. He blocked one shot into the stands. His steal off Eastern Michigan's inbound pass, which he immediately dunked, brought the house down. Another nice catch on a pass from Donovan Mitchell was slammed home, too. Another sterling performance from the Louisville native. Spalding finished with 11 points. 

• Pitino said after the game, “Ray is (an). . . outstanding basketball player. I think Louisville fans are going to see one of the best forwards in quite some time here. We’ve had some great ones with Scooter and Rodney (McCray), and going back before that. We’e had some terrific basketball players, but this young man has got a great career ahead of him.”

• Even Chinanu Onuaku, the 6-10 center, ended his run of foul-laden performances. He went 6 for 10 from the field, with 12 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in 22 minutes. He looked confident in the post, making nice moves to get his shot off in traffic. When Onuaku is dialed into the game, he can be a serious difference-maker. He was on Saturday.

• The Cardinals put five players into double figures. After a scoreless first half, Lee had 16 in the second to lead the Louisville. Quentin Snider added 13, Chinanu Onuaku 12, and Trey Lewis had 11.

• Louisville's Championship DNA is for real.

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UofL women's basketball ready to take next step

By: Raashaan Myers

     The University of Louisville women's team got off to a rocky start to begin their much anticipated 2015-16 season welcoming in the nation’s #1 recruiting class as well as returning a couple of budding stars in former McDonald's All Americans in Mariya Moore and Myeshia Hines-Allen. And while this edition of the Cardinals are blessed with a tremendous amount of talent as well as a superstar talented UCF transfer Briahanna Jackson we also need to consider that they are extremely young that the learning curve has been significant.

     Entering the national polls as the #8 team in the country much was expected from this team early on and maybe unfairly so considering the amount of youth coming in as well as a difficult offseason surgery for #1 rated player Asia Durr who has had an extremely slow healing process. But while the Cardinals have gotten off to a tough 3-5 start playing against an extremely loaded early schedule they are showing a ton of improvement since game 1 playing against some of the nation's best teams including a tough loss in Rupp Arena to undefeated #8 Kentucky.

     And with all the adversity they have faced the Cards have begun to turn a corner as a team. Just 2 weeks ago head coach Jeff Walz was talking about the possibility of Durr redshirting due to her slow healing process then she made a surprise appearance on the road in East Lansing against #19 Michigan State scoring 20 points off the bench. This was just a preview of the immense talent Durr brings to the table and her impact is unquestionable. Of all the things that UofL can improve on Durr is the most important because of her tremendous skill level. While coming off injury Durr has seemingly picked her spots out on the court only attacking sporadically. Well the Cards need to have the ball in her hands as much as possible and she needs to stay in attack mode. She has the ability to not only make plays for herself but her quickness and ball handling can put pressure on the defense to get shots for others. As she continues to get closer 100% the whole team will reap the benefits.

     This UofL team has 4 bonafide stars in Moore, Jackson, Durr, and Hines-Allen and as they get more time on the court together and learn how to play off one another the offensive continuity and chemistry will improve as well. Each has the ability to make plays for themselves and others and can really amplify each other’s abilities. To supplement that group will need an aggressive Cortney Walton on the offensive end to replace the low block scoring that has been sorely missed from Shawnta Dyer. Walton has the low post skills as well as the midrange shot to become an extremely effective scorer with continued confidence and aggressive mindset. Freshman Sam Feuring has also shown some flashes of offensive acumen and a fearless aggressive mentality on the court as well that could lead her to a very good 2nd half of the season.

     The other area of improvement that has shown signs is on the defensive end of the court. To start off the season UofL was allowing opponents to shoot over 45% from the field which is a formula for disaster if you want to be one of the best teams in the country. Well the team has really begun to dig in on the defensive end of the floor utilizing their superior quickness and speed on defensive to wreak havoc. With two lightening quick guards in Arica Carter and Taja Cole I would love to see that tandem become the women's version of the kamikaze kids on defense as Peyton Siva and Russ Smith did for the men's team. They have the ability to become two of the best on ball defenders in the ACC.      

     Despite their 3-5 record I am really beginning to see this young Cardinal team turn a corner and if they continue on their current rate of improvement we will start to see the team that people were expecting come February. But this will take continued focus and development from everyone on the roster as well as attention to detail. But like the men's team watching this young team grow and improve while frustrating at times will be fun to see.

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UofL Basketball showing early Final Four DNA

By: Raashaan Myers

     The University of Louisville Men's basketball team is off to a very impressive start to begin the 2015-16 seasons. And while it is still way too early to begin booking tickets to NRG Stadium in Houston, TX the site of the 2016 Final Four there is certainly a lot to like about what we have seen so far from this season's edition of the Cardinals.

     Head Coach Rick Pitino is one of the most accomplished leading men in the history of the game. He has overseen 2 National Champions and coached several to the Final Four and Elite Eight so suffice to say he knows good basketball when he sees it. On several occasions Coach P has given his thoughts on what it takes for a team to make a run at the Final Four so I wanted to use that as a basis of discussion for what we have seen so far from UofL early this year.

     First and foremost is playing championship level defense. This is something Coach P has built his whole program around since coming to UofL. The ability to lock down your opponent can take you a long way in March and this UofL team so far has been extremely efficient on that end of the court. Through 7 games UofL ranks impressively high in several key defensive categories including scoring defense (1), FG percentage defense (4), blocks per game (28), steals per game (49), 32% opponents 3 pt FG percentage.

     The next thing that Coach Pitino always mentions is having guys who can play at the next level. And while the Rivals, Scout, and 247 sports people may not have been sold on all these guys coming out of high school this UofL team has several guys who both in the near future as well as down the line get an opportunity to make an NBA roster. First and foremost is Damion Lee who has been as good as any scoring guard in the country to begin the year. The 6-6 transfer from Drexel has been even better than could have been imagined averaging 19 ppg 1.7 stls while shooting a super-efficient 55% from the field. While also showing great hustle defensively as well as great leadership this young man has top 20 pick written all over him. We have seen Chinanu Onuaku begin to pop up on some draft boards after having an outstanding summer and (when he doesn't go foul crazy) he has carried that play into the regular season. Onuaku has tremendous measurables to go along with great quickness and athleticism in the post. He is another guy that with continued development this season will have some decisions to make after the season. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo mentioned when playing UofL in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge how the size, length, and athleticism of the big men was "like playing an NBA team" and there are several long lively bodies that while not this year down the road could find themselves on a roster as well. Coach Pitino also welcomed in what he considers to be his best freshman class since he got to UofL and the talent of Deng Adel, Donovan Mitchell, and Ray Spalding has been on display impacting games already this year. All and all with one of the tallest and most athletic lineups in school history the Cards have shown the size, depth, and talent to make a deep tournament run.

     It been said that shooting can cover a multitude of sins and while UofL ranks only 104th at 36% 3pt FG percentage as a team if it holds up will be only the 4th time since the 04-05 Final Four team that the Cards would have a team reach the 36% 3pt plateau. That is astonishing considering the accomplishments of the last decade but normally considered a Pitino staple the 3 ball has been more of a happy change of pace. But this ability to stretch the defense combined with the ability to crash the offensive boards at a very high level (5th in the nation), and the stingy defense has lead the Cards so far to the #1 margin of victory of over 30 ppg.

      Lastly is leadership as well as great point guard play and UofL has shown that as well. The leadership of Lee and fellow transfer Trey Lewis has been much ballyhooed since their trip up to ACC basketball media days where they were a resounding hit because of both their maturity and very likeable demeanors. Add to that the great leadership and intensity of team captain Mango Mathiang and we have a seen a team this year that has been very close, excited for one another, and one of the most unselfish on the floor that we have ever seen. And at the point for this group is sophomore Quentin Snider who has been none short of outstanding running the team almost mistake free playing a total of 199 minutes with only 7 turnovers. That is very strong and after a great close to last season which saw Snider take over the end of the year and lead UofL to the Elite Eight we are seeing a much more confident and aggressive Snider this year and that is a GREAT thing for the Cards.

      I can continue to hear detractors and concerned Card Nation fans alike continue to scoff at any of multiple impressive outings to start the year including at now #1 Michigan State saying "They haven't played anyone". And while that's true UofL has not had the most difficult schedule to begin the year it's not nearly as bad as some think according to realtimerpi.com the current UofL strength of schedule ranks 33rd toughest overall which is more than respectable and means the Cards opponents have held up pretty well to start the season (and is much better than the 120th ranked schedule that UK has played so far according to the site).

      Coach Pitino has sung the praises of this team since July first with reports from friend and assistant Ralph Willard, then on his own once he finally got back to his regular duties. He has not been shy about speaking his belief that not only can this team be good this year, but that they can be GREAT which is a moniker that he reserves for the best of the best teams that he has coached. And I would think that if you are an avid basketball fan regardless of your allegiance that you would see some of the things coach is so excited about. BUT it is still early and there are a lot of games to play to back up this hot start so for now all I will say is "Stay Tuned".

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MARK MY WORDS: EPIC OPPORTUNITY, EPIC FAILURE

By Mark Bacon

An infamous Instagram post last season from Skins wide receiver DeSean Jackson, after a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, stated “You can’t do epic [bleep] with basic people.”

Jackson had his chance to do epic (bleep) last night; he was below basic.

• Epic stupidity. Epic redemption. And finally, epic disappointment — all within the final two minutes of a bad game turned good turned devastating.

• There was hope in Skins Nation. Yet, history reminds us you can’t assume a turnaround. Ever. Not with this team. You can’t think ahead with Washington. You have to stay in the moment. You can’t even assume Jackson will provide heroics, let alone make a sound decision on a late-game punt return

• Apparently the teams really did set football back a few years. The tablets and printers on the Dallas sideline weren’t working in the first half. Cowboys Coach Jason Garrett was visibly upset. One assumes offensive and defensive coordinators were sketching plays on papyrus or in the dirt.

• The constant flags made the game painful to watch. The Cowboys committed eight penalties for 70 yards. The Redskins committed nine penalties for 74 yards.

• “Monday Night Football’s” spotlight revealed the blemishes that already exist. It exaggerated some of them — foolish penalties, special teams blunders, the inability to run the ball, a lack of killer instinct — resulting in a 19-16 loss to a Tony Romo-less Dallas Cowboys team that struggles to run offensive plays.

• In its first game as a first-place team, the Skins weren’t worthy of prime time. It didn’t make a national audience proclaim it a franchise on the rise, hurdling toward postseason. It didn’t even score a touchdown until the final minute.

• For those fans attending their first NFL game, hopefully the experience won’t leave them scarred for life.

• Washington isn’t changing this season. They played too poorly to deserve a win. The offense managed just 266 yards. The running game averaged 2.8 yards per carry. The team committed nine penalties. The defense recovered three Dallas fumbles, but the offense managed just three points off the turnovers. 

BULLET POINTS: WALL, WIZ, WIN

For the second time in a week, the Washington Wizards were tasked with toppling the Eastern Conference’s best team on its home floor. They were facing the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena, and this time, the Wizards were laughably wounded.

• Already down to 10 players their previous two games, the Wizards didn’t know whether John Wall, who hobbled off the Verizon Center floor with a right knee injury less than 24 hours earlier, was going to be on the floor to guide them. Wall himself arrived in South Florida unsure about his status. 

• As the game began, the two-time All-Star was racing up and down the floor at his usual frantic pace. He exploded for a team-high 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting and seven assists, capitalizing on the spacing provided by the tiny-ball lineups Washington was forced to utilize for a third consecutive game. 

• Wall teamed up with Bradley Beal and Gary Neal, who each contributed 21 points, to pull the Wizards (9-10) away in a tightly contested fourth quarter. Beal and Neal scored seven straight between them to break a 103-all tie during the final two minutes. The final score was 114-103, Wizards.

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BACON'S BITS: Cards Flatten Antelopes

Freshman Raymond Spalding Received First Starting Assignment Against Grand Canyon 

By Mark Bacon

Three days after losing a late lead in a 71-67 loss to soon-to-be-ranked-number-one Michigan State, in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, the Cardinals (6-1) pulverized the Antelopes of Grand Canyon University (6-1), seizing a lead that was never in doubt for the final 35 minutes.

It was a tonic for the Cards. They hit 13 of their first 14 shots from the field leading to 14 straight points during the first half boom, gaining a 61-30 halftime lead. It was Louisville’s biggest half since Nov. 18, 2006, against Northwestern State.

• Damion Lee tied his season-high with 24 points, Trey Lewis added 16 and Louisville used a 26-3 first-half run to run away from the Antelopes and coast to a 111-63 shellacking on Saturday.

• Aided by 64 percent shooting in the first half, Louisville turned a 12-12 game into a 38-15 lead and laid it on to reach the century mark for the first time since Feb. 16, 2014, against Rutgers.

• Lee was on fire, shooting 7 of 13 from the field, including four 3-pointers, as U of L made 38 of 70 attempts. It was the Cardinals' sixth 50-percent shooting effort in seven games.

• The Cards were 10 of 22 from the three point arc, contrasted to 3 of 13 for the Antelopes. Defense fueled Louisville's first-half run as the Cardinals scored 16 points off eight turnovers and finished with 25 points from 15 takeaways.

• Donovan Mitchell continued his emerging offensive prowess with 13 points and seven rebounds. Quentin Snider had 12 points and eight assists for Louisville, which dominated the glass (46-24) and bench points (44-23).

• Louisville opened the second half with a 10-0 run and Grand Canyon coach Dan Majerle, a former Phoenix Suns great, could only watch as his team's deficit reached 55 points with 3 minutes left.

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BACON'S BITS: Hoyas Juiced, Pound Orange

Senior Center Bradley Hayes Greeting by Legendary former Hoyas Coach John Thompson 

By Mark Bacon

Georgetown beat Syracuse. The Hoyas pounded the Orange. It feels good to type that.

Georgetown and Syracuse played Saturday, and for the first time in three seasons, the Hoyas were victorious, beating 14th-ranked Syracuse, 79-72. Buoyed by hot shooting and a size advantage inside, Georgetown built a lead that surpassed 20 shortly into the second half.

• But the Hoyas had to withstand a late Syracuse rally, aided by a full-court press, shaky Hoya ball-handling, and the Orange suddenly finding their outside shooting touch. It wasn't enough, and Georgetown won the first post-conference match-up between the two hated rivals.

• Georgetown controlled this game, leading for 37 of 40 minutes, primarily by double digits. The Hoya frontcourt, especially Bradley Hayes and Marcus Derrickson, feasted on the smaller Syracuse  squad, scoring inside at will and effectively hitting the offensive glass. Georgetown also displayed sharp outside shooting; five Hoyas hit three-pointers.

• For all the excitement leading up to this game, the rematch lacked some of the seeming life-or-death stakes of conference showdowns. The one big minus: the SU Coach Jim Boeheim, who began his NCAA imposed nine-game exile just before this game. 

• Still, the joint was jumping. A packed Verizon Center crowd cheered and jeered. On the sideline were familiar faces--Big John Thompson, Otto Porter, and the stalwart announcer Rich Chvotkin, calling his 1300th game, appropriately, a Hoya win over Syracuse.

• In addition to Hayes and Derrickson, Isaac Copeland (14 points, 4 rebounds) and D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera (11 points, 5 assists) both scored in double figures. Copeland found the seams in the Orange zone: the sophomore forward hit a pair of triples, converted an offensive rebound, drained an elbow jumper, and threw down a thunderous dunk.

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BACON'S BITS: Michigan State Tops Louisville, 71-67

By Mark Bacon

Rick Pitino opined last week that the Louisville Cardinals were unranked because of allegations that a former graduate assistant paid escorts to have sex with players and recruits. Pitino said that was diverting attention from what the Cardinals were accomplishing on the floor.

Pitino has a point. Louisville was 5–0, winning their games by an average of 33.6 points. They feature two talented transfers in Damion Lee and Trey Lewis, and a recruiting class including three top-50 prospects. The early returns were positive. Perhaps the Cardinals do deserve more consideration. The only problem was they hadn’t played anyone of note.

That changed last night when Louisville played Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich., as part of the Big Ten/ACC challenge. For the Cards, this was an opportunity to prove their perfect record was more than merely a product of inferior competition, by getting a signature victory over a Final Four threat.

• The third-ranked Spartans, weary from a West Coast trip, needed a full supporting cast to overcome a 13-point hole in the first half and stay undefeated with a 71-67 win over No. 24 Louisville on Wednesday.

• Michigan State got strong performances from senior Bryn Forbes and leading PoY candidate, Denzel Valentine. Valentine did the most to help his team, hitting all six of his foul shots in the final minute, finishing with a game-high 25 points.

• Louisville turned Michigan State over on a third of its possessions, limited it to 42% two-point shooting and 0.87 points per possession. Louisville is long and deep on the interior—it counts five rotation players standing 6'9" or taller and ranks 12th nationally in effective height—which helps to explain why it’s so effective at forcing misses inside the arc. The Cardinals lead the nation in opponents’ two-point field goal percentage and rank sixth in block percentage. 

• Louisville fell short, but it can leave the East Lansing feeling good about their performance. The Cards gave Sparty everything it could handle on its home floor, opening up a 13 point lead in the first half and pushing the Spartans down the stretch before they held on for a 71–67 win. 

• Michigan State struggled containing Lewis and Lee. The two guards blew by defenders and either finished in the paint or got to the free throw line—where they both knocked down all five of their attempts—in tallying up 44 combined points. 

• U of L won’t be tested again until it faces Kentucky in Lexington the day after Christmas. If the Cardinals are as good as their first six games—including Wednesday—suggest, they’ll spend more time over the next three weeks correcting minor deficiencies. The Cards would do well to develop scoring options to supplement Lee and Lewis. As dynamic as those two are slashing to the basket, Louisville needs to be able to pry open defenses that excel at limiting dribble penetration. 

The Cardinals have time; at this point, it’s obvious that they’re legitimately good. Better than their seventh-in-the-ACC preseason projection and better than most observers thought. Without a win, Louisville passed its first big test of the season Wednesday. It’s safe to assume people won’t ignore this team anymore. Pitino was probably right.

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BULLET POINTS: Wizards and Hoyas Get Back On Track

By Mark Bacon

CAVS ENCOUNTER GREAT WALL OF D.C.

Playing the Cavaliers, in Cleveland, on a four-game losing streak can be disasterous for any team, but last night, the Wizards came out on top in convincing fashion. John Wall exploded for 35 points and 10 assists to pace Washington to a 97-85 victory over the East-leading Cavaliers.

• Wall was ready from the start and the Wizards got off to a 10-0 run. They finished the quarter leading 27-24; Wall scored eight points in the 12 minutes. The first quarter also foretold what would be a stellar defensive effort from the Wiz: Wall grabbed four steals and Marcin Gortat added four blocks in the first. Gortat finished with Washington’s only other double-double (15 points, 11 rebounds).

• The Cavs answered the DC’s run with a 14-4 string of their own, but they were not able to keep up with them, as the Wizards’ defense held Cleveland to  33.7 percent shooting from the field. The Wizards had a good shooting night, hitting 47 percent from the field.

• While Wall was the star on the offensive end, he got plenty of help from the starters. In addition to Gortat, Bradley Beal scored 18 points and Jared Dudley went 5-for-7 from the field (2-for-4 3-point) en route to 12 points in his second start this season.

• John Wall’s 35 points mark his highest scoring output since he scored 37 on November 22, 2013. His performance on both ends of the floor set the tone for the Wizards in a big victory.

• To start the third quarter, the Wizards went on a short 6-0 run to go up 19 early in the second half. From there, they were able to fend off any chance of a Cleveland run. 

• PLAYER OF THE GAME: John Wall – 35 points, 10 assists, 5 steals, 4 rebounds

• UNSUNG HERO: Otto Porter – He only scored six points, grabbed five rebounds and had a pair of assists, but Porter finished with the team’s highest +/- ratio on the night with a +20. He was also tasked with guarding LeBron James, who scored 24 points but shot just 8-for-20 from the field.

HOYAS DEFEAT MARYLAND–EASTERN SHORE

Georgetown pulled to .500 tonight in unremarkable fashion last evening, beating Maryland-Eastern Shore (UMES), 68-49. Senior guard D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera (DSR) turned in a lights-out shooting performance, scoring 30 points for the fourth time in his career. Otherwise, the win bordered on disappointing. After a DSR-fueled explosion before halftime, Georgetown held on after the break, always keeping the lead in double digits but never really accomplishing what should have been a blowout. Still, G’town won, setting up Saturday's reunion with arch-rival Syracuse.

• Georgetown kept the ball moving and kept moving off of the ball. UMES turnovers and offensive movement led to easy opportunities at the rim for Bradley Hayes (11 points, 9 rebounds) and beyond the arc for Smith-Rivera. DSR broke out of a season-long slump from beyond the arc, where he had only made 10 of his first 35 attempts this season. 

• In the second half, UMES came out of the break with a more focus and energy, and the Hoyas looked indifferent and tentative. Frustrated with his team's listless play, JT3 went to the rarely seen DSR-Peak-Tre Campbell-Reggie Cameron-Hayes lineup and stuck with it, without substitution, for almost the entire rest of the game. 

• The win over Maryland-Eastern Shore was Georgetown's first game at full strength. Forward Paul White, who missed the team's first four games, played his second straight, with limited minutes, while the Tre Campbell returned from a three-plus game absence. Both sophomores are keys in the Georgetown rotation, and Campbell in particular logged heavy minutes against UMES, scoring 7 points while playing much of the second half. Even if White and Campbell's play didn't lead to a blowout win, their return is crucial to the Hoyas' long-term hopes.

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