The independent weekly student newspaper at the University of Louisville since 1926 . . March 19, 2013 Vol. 87, lssue24
THE LOUISVILLE CARDINAL
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Louisville men wow in final Big East play
Noah Allison
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
A fter enduring the longest regular season loss in Big East
.l"\.history in the five overtime game at Notre Dame, Rick
Pitino's Louisville Cardinals finished off the regular season
with a seven game win streak that earned them a share of the
Big East Championship. They rode that success into the final
Big East Tournament before the staple programs make their
departure. Louisville was given chances for redemption against
three teams that beat them in the regular season, beating
Villanova in the first round 74-55, Notre Dame in the second
round 69-57 and coming back from 16 down against Syracuse
in the Championship game the Cards were able to win 78-61.
The Cards head into the first round of the NCAA National
Tournament on a ten-game win streak with a 29-5 record
overall. A team like Louisville only has a legitimate chance
at winning the National Championship because of the depth
and reliability at every position through and through. A
stout defense that has been giving up an average of 55 points
through the ten-game win streak has truly been the face of the
team, but talented players at every position is the makeup of
success in Louisville.
The Frontcourt: "Getting big" has been a key focal point
the Cards success during the current win streak. Six-foot­eleven,
245 pound junior Center Gorgui Dieng has made
his presence felt down low throughout the season; Dieng is
"Jaws" and opponents are the poor swimmers he feeds on.
Dieng led the team in rebounds with 266 and blocked shots
with 68, despite missing seven games with a broken wrist. He
averaged a double-double throughout conference play and his
oncoming offensive presence throughout the run makes him a
threat on both sides. Dieng averages 30 minutes a game, but
when he is resting up for those ten minutes back-up center,
senior Stephan Van Treese comes in. Van Treese, at six-foot­nine,
245 pounds, is one of the only players on the team who
really likes contact down in the paint. In the 10 minutes he
averages, Van Treese beats up the opposition physically, plays
sound defense and is reliable for tip-ins and a few offensive
looks. His 98 rebounds and dependability throughout the
season has kept Pitino calling his number to come in for
Dieng throughout the game.
Basketball, page 9
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