CBS: AAC Preview

[tcf15]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebas...49/college-basketball-conference-previews-aac

A lot of Louisville love.

 

[HooperScooper]

Why do I have the feeling that Louisville will not live up to its preseason billing? Seems to always happen to the teams who win the championship. And it's not going to be easy to replace Siva and Dieng.

 

[Zionn]

I agree Scoop. I just don't feel Russ can carry load. Way overrated in my book. Our guards will eat him alive.

 

[James]

We have a lot of really good guards in our conference. I can't think of a conference with better guards. doesn't cincy still have kilpatrick? Wow. Anyway, they still won't finish ahead of us, norlander.also, Who does memphis have that can guard our hybrid 4? Deandre would bbq chicken kuran iverson

 

[champs99and04]

Louisville won't be as good as people think. Not because they aren't still exceptionally talented, but because the national championship hangover is a real thing and it's always a little bit concerning when some of your players - Russ Smith and Chane Behanan - have accomplished everything there is to accomplish collectively and now want to prove to the scouts that they're NBA material.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Why do I have the feeling that Louisville will not live up to its preseason billing? Seems to always happen to the teams who win the championship.

Ding. Ding. Ding. The defending champs are always overrated heading into the following year. It was true of us in 2012. It was true of UK last year. And it will be true of Louisville this year.

 

[Rico444]

I'm sorry, but there's zero chance Louisville is better than last year...ZERO. The media goes crazy over the defending national champs every year...remember how Kentucky was preseason top 5 last year? The same Kentucky team that lost to ROBERT MORRIS in the NIT.

 

[Rico444]

Ding. Ding. Ding. The defending champs are always overrated heading into the following year. It was true of us in 2012. It was true of UK last year. And it will be true of Louisville this year.

If only I'd waited a minute to post, I would've seen you already said everything I was going to and could've saved myself 45 seconds of typing.

 

[Onions]

I agree Scoop. I just don't feel Russ can carry load. Way overrated in my book. Our guards will eat him alive.

They sure didn't do any eating last year, they would have had to find him first, because he was blowing past Bazz and Boat like they were nailed to the floor. I think we win the conference this year because they lost Siva ( thank god he finally left, and I don't care who the Juco guard they got to replace him) but let's not get crazy here.

Here's the box score, in case you didn't see the game
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/gameflash/2013/01/14/78843_boxscore.html

 

[upstater]

They sure didn't do any eating last year, they would have had to find him first, because he was blowing past Bazz and Boat like they were nailed to the floor. I think we win the conference this year because they lost Silva ( thank god he finally left, and I don't care who the Juco guard they got to replace him) but let's not get crazy here.

Here's the box score, in case you didn't see the game
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/gameflash/2013/01/14/78843_boxscore.html

That was the game Napier separated his shoulder. UConn gets out to a nice lead, Napier is fouled hard with a guy landing on his shoulder, no call, and then he's a shell out there.

 

[Onions]

That was the game Napier separated his shoulder. UConn gets out to a nice lead, Napier is fouled hard with a guy landing on his shoulder, no call, and then he's a shell out there.

Yes, Napier hurt his shoulder, don't recall it being a separation. Meanwhile Boat turned it over 5 times while Smith scored as much as Boat and Bazz put together. I think we win this year, I think Boat and Bazz will hold their own with Smith and Mr. Juco, but I wouldn't really start going on about how we're gonna eat his lunch. Smith can play and saying otherwise makes you sound desperate.

 

[James]

I was @ the xl game, boat stunk. But if Napier doesn't get injured the games very different. the momentum change was unreal after. I could care less though, Siva was frightening during his career, he also ran the show... Something smith is a novice at.

 

[UC990411]

I agree Scoop. I just don't feel Russ can carry load. Way overrated in my book. Our guards will eat him alive.

Yeah, they did last year.....whooooooops

 

[Gurleyman]

Smith is sorta one of those guys in the Vinnie Johnson mold that's almost immune to defense - some days he's making crazy shots no matter how well covered he is. Some days he's 2-12 and misses no matter how open he is. Just have to hope you catch him on the latter.

It also made a difference that Dieng could completely ignore Olander/Nolan/Wolf and play a one man zone, whereas we had to pay attention to Dieng at the other end. Smith could get all the way to the rim while Napier/Boat had to shoot 5-10 foot pull-ups.

But I certainly don't think we'll eat him alive. Hopefully, we'll get the better of the overall backcourt matchup, but he's a handful to deal with.

 

[OkaForPrez]

Siva's two fouls early was the reason that game was a tale of two halves. And THAT is the reason Louisville will come back to the pack. Their strength was the press with Siva and Russ at the top. It remains to be seen of it will be as effective. I say no.

 

[willie99]

DD is going to be a monster, he can win conference POY and if he improves over the way he was playing at the end of last year, he leaves a lottery pick

 

[Chelo]

I gotta say that Louisville aint all it is hyped to be without Siva. Siva was the heart and soul of that team. The the first half of that XL game was tight because Siva was on the bench with foul trouble and Shabazz was hurt. Once Siva came in in the second half, louisville turned into a completely different team and they blew us away. The hype shouldn't have been on Russ Smith last year, it was all Payton Siva.

 

[UConn990411]

I gotta say that Louisville aint all it is hyped to be without Siva. Siva was the heart and soul of that team. I remember us playing Louisville last year and the XL and the first half was tight because Siva was on the bench with foul trouble. Once Siva came in in the second half, louisville turned into a completely different team and they blew us away. The hype shouldn't have been on Russ Smith last year, it was all Payton Siva.

Eh, it was both of them. Siva had plenty of moments where he played like an idiot or got into foul trouble, and Smith was the one to bail him out (the opposite was true on may occasions, too). The two complemented each other extremely well and covered up one another's mistakes seamlessly when the tournament came around.

Smith is substantially better when he gets to play most of the time off the ball - unfortunately for him, he won't have that luxury this season with Siva gone. Louisville has enough talent to absorb Siva's and Dieng's losses, but the fact that so many media types assume they'll do it easily shows how dumb media types really are.

 

[Chelo]

Siva always played well against us. I don't think they have anyone on the roster to absorb the lose of Siva. Siva was a killer.....Smith ain't.

 

[FeedTheDove]

Print this out and put it on the locker... doubt us some more PLEASE

 

[Jaybo]

Russ is a beast! I think we win but it's a dog fight not a cake walk.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I was @ the xl game, boat stunk. But if Napier doesn't get injured the games very different. the momentum change was unreal after. I could care less though, Siva was frightening during his career, he also ran the show... Something smith is a novice at.

Feels like Siva played there for the last 11-12 years. Had some great games against us, then I'd watch him be ordinary against others.

But I'll echo the other sentiments, Louisville is overrated. A JC transfer is supposed to be among the best players in the league and run the show? And play Pitino style D? I'm not buying it. Smith is a heck of a player, but the team is clearly worse than last year. UConn should be much better than last year.

 

[Kitaman]

Doesn't matter if Louisville is better than last year or even overrated all that matters is if we are better than them. Can't sleep on them is all I can say about them, they have talent and good coaching. I respect the National Champions and am glad for at least one year they are in our conference.

We are UConn dammit!

 

[ctchamps]

Doesn't matter if Louisville is better than last year or even overrated all that matters is if we are better than them. Can't sleep on them is all I can say about them, they have talent and good coaching. I respect the National Champions and am glad for at least one year they are in our conference.

We are UConn dammit!

Exactly. I hope they live up to their hype and we smoke them, win the conference and go further than them in the NCAA's. Want the football team to turn things around and beat them as well!!!

 

[UChusky916]

Agreed that UL is a bit overrated.But for those who doubt Russ Smith are hugely mistaken. He is an absolute stud and I think he will be a lottery pick this year.

Loss of Siva hurts, but what hurts UL most will be losing Dieng. Not having an inside-out game will hurt UL the most. I still think Pitino will keep the UL press going and he will make it work despite not having Siva. They thrive off of the 3 in the transition and also the kick-out 3. It will be tougher for them with no post presense of Dieng.