It was a gut-wrenching loss for the Louisville Cardinals on Tuesday night, as they fell to Syracuse by just a single point, 70-69. This marks the fourth one-point loss for Louisville this season, tying a record for the most in a single season for an ACC program. The Cardinals last suffered a one-point loss back in their first three games of the season, making this defeat even more difficult to swallow.
But it’s not just the heartbreaking nature of these losses that has fans feeling frustrated. It’s the fact that this Louisville team is filled with so much talent and potential, yet they seem to be coming up just short time and time again.
Despite the tough stretch, there have been some standout performances for the Cardinals. Senior guard El Ellis has been a bright spot, averaging an impressive 20.8 points, 6.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.0 steals over the last six games. Ellis has also been shooting well from beyond the arc, making 40% of his 3-point attempts. He is one of just 12 players in the nation with at least 265 points and 65 assists this season, a testament to his all-around game.
Senior forward Sydney Curry has also seen an uptick in production, averaging 9.8 points and 7.7 rebounds over the last six games while shooting a stellar 64% from the field. His 19-rebound performance against Florida A&M was the most by a Cardinal since 2004 and a crucial factor in their victory.
Sophomore forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield has been a force on the offensive end, making 72.2% of his field goal attempts in the last three games. And freshman forward Kamari Lands has been a reliable contributor off the bench, averaging 8.5 points per game and shooting an impressive 91.7% from the free throw line.
But despite the strong performances from these players, the Cardinals have struggled to put it all together as a team. It’s not for lack of effort, as this group plays with a lot of heart and hustle. But sometimes, it feels like the ball just doesn’t bounce their way.
In addition to their one-point struggles, the Cardinals have also faced a tough stretch of opponents. They are currently in the midst of a 16-game stretch against 12 top-100 KenPom teams and 14 top-165 teams. The overall record of these opponents is a formidable 152-80.
It’s a tough test for any team, but especially for a young and inexperienced squad like Louisville. According to Ken Pomeroy, the Cardinals rank 341st in the country in Division I experience with an average of 0.88 years. It’s no wonder that they have struggled at times against more experienced opponents.
But despite the challenges, the Cardinals remain optimistic. They are a resilient group and they know that they have the talent and potential to turn things around. And this Saturday, they will have the chance to honor a team that showed them the way: the 1983 Final Four team.
Led by Hall of Fame coach Denny Crum and captained by Scooter and Rodney McCray, that team posted a 32-4 record en route to the Metro Conference title and a trip to the Final Four. Milt Wagner, Lancaster Gordon, Rodney McCray, and Charles Jones all played key roles in that memorable season.
As the Cardinals take the court on Saturday, they will no doubt be inspired by the legacy of that team and the lessons they learned from Coach Crum. They will be determined to put their recent struggles behind them and come out on top.
It won’t be easy, but this Louisville team has yet to convince us they have the heart to consistently win. They have proven that they can compete with anyone, but will they fight until the final buzzer to get the win?
It will be a tough stretch for the Cardinals, with plenty to overcome in the way of challenges and no doubt a number of questions about this team will get answered over the coming games.
