MUScoop
MUScoop => Hangin' at the Al => Topic started by: 77ncaachamps on November 24, 2007, 02:49:12 AM
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http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/recap;_ylt=AnasflWWIB_SVjdlf.71U0HevbYF?gid=200711230314
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Between Jonathan Tavernari's dazzling outside shooting and Trent Plaisted's dominant inside play, No. 6 Louisville seemed to be facing a two-man team for most of the night at the Las Vegas Invitational.
Brigham Young's two stars were a whole lot more than the Cardinals could handle while they're playing without two stars of their own.
Tavernari hit five 3-pointers while scoring a career-best 29 points, and BYU capitalized on Louisville's injuries and weariness for a 78-76 victory Friday night.
Plaisted added 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Cougars (5-0) as they held a narrow lead for most of the game with the inside-outside punch of their top two scorers, who scored all but six of BYU's second-half points.
By the time Tavernari and Plaisted embraced at the buzzer, the Cardinals (3-1) had learned just how tough life will be without injured big men David Padgett and Juan Palacios. Even Louisville's wealth of remaining talent wasn't enough to slow down two impressive scorers on what's expected to be the Mountain West Conference's top team.
"I just wanted them to play like I knew they could play," BYU coach Dave Rose said. "I wanted them to rebound, push it, attack, and see if we could take advantage of them while they were missing a guy or two."
Louisville is the highest-ranked opponent beaten by the Cougars since Dec. 21, 1965, when BYU knocked off No. 2 St. Joseph's.
Derrick Caracter scored 24 points and Earl Clark added 19 for the Cardinals, but Clark missed a potential tying 3-pointer with 3 seconds to play. Caracter went 10-for-12 while filling in admirably for injured captain David Padgett, but forward Terrence Williams' poor shooting and seven turnovers didn't help.
"We're a depleted basketball team. We're running out of gas," Louisville coach Rick Pitino said. "BYU earned the win. They made tough shots with the game on the line. We turned it over way too much."
Louisville opened its Vegas vacation with a 20-point win over UNLV on Wednesday night, but the Cardinals' toughest nonconference schedule in several years is even more difficult because of injuries.
They're still getting used to playing without Padgett, who could miss the season after breaking his kneecap last weekend, and Palacios, who still hasn't played with a knee injury. Pitino acknowledged BYU thoroughly exploited both players' absences.
"They were hitting all their shots," Clark said. "(Tavernari) is a good shooter. They kept making shots, they played together, they executed. That's what wins basketball games."
The Cougars' fourth win in their last 40 games against ranked opponents spoiled Louisville's expected matchup with top-ranked North Carolina on Saturday night in the final at the Orleans Arena. Instead, BYU will meet the Tar Heels, who beat Old Dominion 99-82 in the semifinals.
"The most important thing is for us to make sure this isn't the high point of the season," Rose said. "We can't let this distract us from what we're trying to do."
Tavernari, the Brazilian forward who was the Mountain West's top freshman last year, was easily the standout player in the schools' first meeting since Christmas 1994. He scored 17 points in the second half, and Plaisted added 14 after halftime.
Tavernari's 3-pointer with 2:27 to play put BYU up 74-67, and the Cardinals couldn't rally. Louisville's Will Scott hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to make the final score close.
"I forced some shots, but most were in the rhythm of the play," Tavernari said. "In the second half, I just wanted to make sure Trent knew it was his time. I happened to have the most points, but everybody on the team helped out."
The long-stagnant BYU program is in its third season of revitalization under Rose, who spent seven years as a head coach just two hours north of Las Vegas in St. George, Utah, with perennial juco power Dixie College.
But only a few hundred BYU fans made the six-hour drive south from Provo, perhaps staying home for Saturday's football game against archrival Utah. They were well outnumbered by the Louisville fans enjoying three Cardinals games in four days -- and a turkey dinner with the team Thursday at their host casino.
But the Cougars opened with more energy and focus, leading for most of the first half and opening up a 10-point margin with 3 minutes left. Louisville, which got 13 fewer shots than the Cougars in the first half, cut the lead to 41-37 with another buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Scott.
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Rumor has it that Slick Rick interviewed for a pit boss position at Mandalay while he was out there...his wardrobe and fine jewelry make him a lock if you ask me.
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Hate to see this. Tough loss for Marquette. I want Louisville to go undefeated until we beat them. Hopefully we can minimize the Big East upsets for the remaining non-conference games. Then BE teams won't be complaining again on Selection Sunday. We can take care of our end by winning out.
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If MU takes care of its own business, it won't matter what the other BE teams do. Look at Memphis. They are in a horrid conference yet they will end up with a high seed. Of course they play a tougher non-conference schedule, but if we can get a win at Madison and then get some quality in-conference wins, we will be fine. I would love to see Louisville lose every game if possible.
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I agree that both Marquette and Memphis will be fine this year. However if they both end up with the same record, who gets the better seed? Marquette does because the Big East is better than C-USA. Even though as you say Memphis plays a tougher non-conference schedule, it won't matter as much as conference strength. Would you trade places with Memphis? Marquette paid millions of dollars to get out of that conference.
You can root for anyone you want to. If you don't like Pitino, then it's fine to cheer against him. Who you or I root for has no bearing on who wins or loses. But I pull for all Big East teams in non-conference games because it is in Marquette's best short and long term interest that the Big East is a strong conference. For me it's part of cheering for Marquette. Once we're in conference then I start picking favorites.
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=307782 (http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=307782)
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I begrudgingly agree with Larry... I have to cheer for the Big East teams during non-conference play. Remember the more teams who make the tournament, that is more $$$ for the conference. Though, if any team is going to lose in the non-conference, Looeyville and Cuse are near the top of my list.
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I agree that both Marquette and Memphis will be fine this year. However if they both end up with the same record, who gets the better seed? Marquette does because the Big East is better than C-USA. Even though as you say Memphis plays a tougher non-conference schedule, it won't matter as much as conference strength. Would you trade places with Memphis? Marquette paid millions of dollars to get out of that conference.
You can root for anyone you want to. If you don't like Pitino, then it's fine to cheer against him. Who you or I root for has no bearing on who wins or loses. But I pull for all Big East teams in non-conference games because it is in Marquette's best short and long term interest that the Big East is a strong conference. For me it's part of cheering for Marquette. Once we're in conference then I start picking favorites.
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=307782 (http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=307782)
Nice Post