BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: NOTRE DAME @ LOUISVILLE

February 28, 2008


This week's Thursday Night spotlight is a dandy as Notre Dame and Louisville battle it out for what could be a showdown for the conference title. The Irish finish up their schedule with DePaul, St. John's and South Florida after tonight, so this is obviously their biggest challenge in their last four games. Louisville will host Villanova on Sunday and travel to Georgetown to close out the conference regular season schedule.

Here are the local media previews and game stories on tonight's showdown:

Irish Battle Tested for Showdown (South Bend Tribune)
It's Time for Irish to Take Title Shot (Chicago Tribune)
Season Heading into Interesting (Journal Gazette)
Notre Dame Offense Will Test U of L (Courier-Journal)
UofL Bracing for Hot Shooting Notre Dame (Kentucky.com)
Cards to Try Bit of Everything Against Notre Dame (Courier-Journal)


An exciting match-up is set for Freedom Hall tonight and the two teams that seem to be playing the best basketball right now in the Big East go head to head when Louisville hosts Notre Dame.

Louisivlle has won nine of their last 10, losing only by two points at Connecticut in that stretch. The Cards have won with defense, they have won with offense, whatever is needed, they have responded with it. Senior David Padgett has overcome a series of injuries the last few years and has stepped up his game down the stretch providing leadership and production on a consistent basis. He scored 18 in the win over Georgetown, added 20 in a victory at DePaul and scored 21 on Sunday against Pittsburgh. Tonight, he will use his post moves and height to work against Luke Harangody of the Irish. Harangody will look to bull his way through Padgett and continue his assault on the Big East. Harangody has emerged as the favorite to win the Big East's Player of the Year award, but the way Louisville has taken off with a healthy Padgett, you could argue that Padgett might be the most valuable player to his team.

The Louisville defense will be challenged by the inside/out combination of Kyle McAlarney and Harangody. McAlarney is coming off a Notre Dame record nine three's against Syracuse on Sunday and will challenge and stretch the Cardinal defense. Rick Pitino has seen it all before and will try to come up with different wrinkles to contest McAlarney's shots and try not to allow him to get comfortable on the perimeter. Super-quick Tory Jackson will provide another challenge as his dribble penetration could provide kick-outs to an open McAlarney on the perimeter.

The Irish, winners of eight of nine, also have had their last loss handed to them at Connecticut. Notre Dame is not the deepest team in the league, normally playing seven or eight players with Luke Zeller and Jonathan Peoples getting spot minutes behind a top 6, that also includes consistent Rob Kurz and small forwards Ryan Ayers and Zach Hillesland. How the Irish handle the pressure defense from the Cards will decide this game.

Louisville will look to get their athletic forwards Earl Clark and Terrence Williams free against the ND defense. The Irish were destroyed on the boards against Syracuse on Sunday and the Cards have the size and depth on the front line to give them fits on the boards as well. Juan Palacios and Derrick Caracter could start for nearly every team in the Big East, so they have high-quality depth behind Padgett and Clark. Williams is the x-factor, he is capable of taking his game to another level, especially if his shot is falling. The UL guards have been getting more consistent in playing both sides of the ball in Pitino's preferred style, brining it all together for the Cardinals.

Louisville started the season as the preseason co-favorite with Georgetown and after suffering through the injury bug, it looks as though they have put the pieces together for a late season run. Notre Dame has faced a tough schedule and they just keep on winning, setting themselves up to be in position for the league title. It has been a great season that still has more success to come for the Irish.

Playign at home, I think Louisville controls this game. They are the 8-pt favorite and I think they jump on Notre Dame defensively and work the boards hard to get key second chance points when needed.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Louisville 77 Notre Dame 67