Louisville Basketball Drops Three Straight: Should the Fans Worry? Reality Check

[Shannon Ruffra]

#50 RPI Pittsburgh @ #12 Louisville TONIGHT at 7 p.m.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Louisville basketball drops three games in an eight day stretch late in January during BIG EAST Conference play, and some of our "alleged" Louisville basketball fans have broke-out the torches and pitchforks again this season pointing fingers at SR PG Peyton Siva and head coach Rick Pitino.  Before some of the knee-jerk reaction Louisville basketball fans draw and quarter Siva and Pitino, let's take a look at the "terrible" losses that have a few of the weaker-minded fans crying more than a spoiled little girl with a soiled Sunday dress....

The Three Losses:

Loss 1: 1 19 2013 - 70-68 to #6 Syracuse - KFC Yum! Center

Loss 2: 1 22 2013 - 73-64 to #59 RPI Villanova - The Pavilion

Loss 3: 1 26 2013 - 53-51 to #44 RPI Georgetown - Verizon Center

Even the untrained eye can look at the losses and see several things:

1. All three losses were a combined total of 13 points. The Syracuse and Georgetown losses were just 2 point losses.

2. All three losses were in an eight day gauntlet of late January BIG EAST Conference play.

3. All three losses were from very good teams, which are all ranked Top 60 RPI.

4. All three losses were from three of the BEST coaches in college basketball: Jim "Mr. 900+ Wins" Boeheim, Jay "Dressed to the Teeth" Wright and John "JT III" Thompson.

So when some fans look at the three losses, they don't see the real skinny on the power of these three teams that we fell to. All  three losses were to Top 60 teams. So before you write off the Cardinals, look at the power of the teams they have played in the losses, the star power of the great coaches, and remember the power of the BIG EAST!

Season scouting report of the more powerful Louisville basketball teams' season under Pitino: November and December - Red Hot, January - We have a few of the "what the hell" losses, March - We win the conference title... So get your emotions in order and keep all things in perspective. The most important thing, SUPPORT YOUR CARDS!

The Cards regroup tonight hosting # 50 RPI Pittsburgh at the KFC Yum! Center at 7 p.m. Support your Cards, and don't run Siva and Pitino out of town just yet.....

GO CARDS!

[Anthony robert milburn]

We still need to find way to win close games. We struggle with last second shots, play calling. Peyton's fine, just needs to stop silly fouls in first half, he's been o bench with two silly fouls by 15 minute mark last 3-4 ball games, take shim out of flow of game.  We'll go as he goes, so he needs to realize how much he's hurting his team and stop it. Just a bad habit. He'll get going tonight.

[Dustin]

What has some of us fans uptight is the fact our half court offense is non existent. There is no set plays and that's a problem when the other team isn't turning the ball over which leads to easy baskets for UL. We have got to get into a better flow on the half court side or its doubtful we will be cutting down then nets come march.

[Paul McWilliams]

We NEED to make our freethrow shots!   GO CARDS!!!