Sports
Louisville pounds Delaware State
LOUISVILLE — The plasma television screen in the Louisville locker room at Freedom Hall flickered with images from the NCAA Tournament, but Terrence Williams couldn’t bear to watch.
The freshman forward didn’t come to Louisville to watch March Madness on TV. So while the rest of the Cardinals sneaked a peek following Louisville’s 71-54 win over Delaware State in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament on Friday night, Williams brushed his hair, did a couple of postgame interviews and walked out.
Better to stay focused on the task at hand, namely, taking the steps toward making sure the Cardinals aren’t on the outside of the tournament looking in next year.
“I don’t really like watching (the NCAA Tournament) and not playing in it,” Williams said. “It hurts to watch, but it’s going to prepare you for the future.”
The Cardinals (19-12) hope they took their fist step toward next year’s tournament by easing by the road-weary Hornets (21-14). Taquan Dean scored 21 points to lead five Louisville players in double figures as the Cardinals never let the Hornets entertain thoughts of an upset.
Louisville dominated from the opening tip and played with the kind of effort head coach Rick Pitino was hoping to see when the Cardinals accepted the bid to play in the NIT a year after making it to the Final four.
“We were ready emotionally, we were ready physically and we had great respect for Delaware State and that’s why we played so well,” Pitino said.
It hasn’t always been pretty — for Williams or the Cardinals — but when he looks for his teammates as he did against the Hornets, Pitino thinks Williams could be the key to a deep NIT run.
“T-Will did a very good job of passing the basketball,” Pitino said. “I think he’s going to do a lot down the road what (former Cardinal) Francisco Garcia does. That’s the best part about his game is his passing.”
Finding a way to mix his vision and his aggressiveness is the next step in Williams’ evolution.
“I love the ball being in my hand,” Williams said. “In high school ... I ran the point so it was kind of like going back to my old days.”
The Cardinals never trailed and became just the third team to score more than 70 points against the Hornets this season. Delaware State came in allowing just 57 points per game.
But Louisville opened by scoring the game’s first 12 points then stayed patient defensively as the Hornets ran through their deliberate, methodical offense. Delaware State often ran 25-30 seconds off the shot clock.
But rather than get impatient and try to force the tempo, the Cardinals simply beat the Hornets at their own game.
“The one thing I learned about well-coached teams like this that control the ball is, don’t worry about it, their style of play is going to win out,” Pitino said. “Just be fundamentally sound and don’t get anxious and foul.”
The road to the NIT semifinals at Madison Square Garden will get more difficult against Clemson. Like the Cardinals, the Tigers play in a power conference (ACC). And like the Cardinals, the Tigers were maybe a handful of plays away from making the NCAA Tournament.
“It’s going to be a very tough game,” Pitino said. “They’re a very good basketball team. Every team we’re going to face in this tournament is tough in terms of talent (but) we’ll be ready for it.”
- Sports
-
-
A ‘super group’
After an hour-and-a-half long practice on Tuesday, first year Glasgow softball head coach Becky Kingery stood in the parking lot of the Lady Scotties field at the American Legion, watching second baseman Haley Perkins and catcher Micha Elmore working on Elmore’s pick off throw.
-
Felkins signs with Union College
Cameron Felkins always dreamed of playing a sport in college. But he never thought it would be tennis.
-
Hot Rods release spring training schedule
The Bowling Green Hot Rods’ spring training games will begin on March 17 in Florida.
-
End the ‘rivalry’
In his introductory press conference on Feb. 18, newly-hired Barren County football coach Jason Esters laid out one of his major goals for the 2010 season: shorten the expanse between the Trojans and their three district opponents (Warren Central, Bowling Green and Grayson County).
-
All Region
Glasgow’s Kelsey Greer and Monroe County’s Caylan Bybee and Madison Clements were all named to the Region 4 All-tournament team Saturday.
-
Common fishing terms defined
Was in the vicinity of some pretty good crappie fishermen Tuesday morning at Bill and Todd Logsdon's place and the consensus seemed to be the same. “There’s not bitin’.”
-
SPORTS BRIEFS
Meet the Scotties for the spring sports teams will be March 15
-
Falcons fly out of Region
Head coach Steve Kirkpatrick told his Falcons they needed to do two things in Wednesday’s game against Russellville.
-
SPORTS BRIEFS: Babe Ruth meeting set
An organizational meeting for the 2010 Babe Ruth league will be Sunday at 2 p.m. League officers and volunteers will be selected during the two-hour gathering.
-
Falcons fly out of Region
Head coach Steve Kirkpatrick told his Falcons they needed to do two things in Wednesday's game against Russellville.
- More Sports Headlines
-
