 Louisville (19-10, 10-6 Big East) at Marquette (19-9, 10-6 Big East), 9:30 PM ET, March 2, 2010 Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI |
As accurate as ESPN’s NCAA Tournament guru Joe Lunardi has been predicting bids and seeds, the University of Louisville didn’t breathe a sigh of relief after Sunday’s win over Connecticut.
Lunardi no longer listed the Cardinals as a bubble team — one of his last four teams in or out — in his NCAA Tournament predictions. Lunardi projected U?of?L as a No.?8 seed in his latest bracket.
“In Joe we trust,” Uof?L coach Rick Pitino joked after the 78-76 win.
Actually, the Cards (19-10, 10-6 Big East) don’t trust him that much. They’re still gunning for their goal of an 11th conference win, beginning Tuesday at Marquette.
After watching Providence become the only 10-win team under the league’s current format to miss the NCAA Tournament last season, one more win is the only way the Cards can breathe easy.
“If we get 11 Big East wins it’s like a guaranteed NCAA Tournament berth, and that’s the thing we’re really focused in on right now,” U?of?L senior Jerry Smith said. “We have to lock in and go in there fighting.”
The Wauwatosa, Wis., native expects plenty of fight from the school he grew up watching.
Marquette (19-9, 10-6) has lost seven games by five points or less. The Golden Eagles, who are tied with U?of?L in fifth place, apparently learned from their close calls. They’ve gone to overtime in each of their past three games and won all three — a first in Big East history.
“Marquette has played more close games than any team in America,” Pitino said.
The Golden Eagles have won their share partly because of their outside shooting and the way they take care of the ball. In that respect, the Cards could be facing another Notre Dame.
Marquette ranks fifth in NCAA Division?I with 40.9 percent three-point shooting but is second behind the Irish in the Big East. It leads the league with 10.4 turnovers per game, just ahead of the Irish at 10.5.
“They run their dribble-drive offense where they get in the lane and kick it back out to the 3,” Pitino said. “They’re probably as tough a team to prepare for as in the Big East.”
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