By Josh Lipka
The University of Louisville men’s basketball program has certainly seen its fair share of glorious moments on the court. From two NCAA championships to an implausible win against highly ranked Syracuse University in the final Cardinal basketball game at the infamous Freedom Hall, these moments are continuously intertwined into U of L history.
One moment that is still leaving the world in shock happened in the 18-point comeback over Marquette University on Jan. 15. Sure, there have been plenty of 18-point comebacks in NCAA history, but hardly ever does a team fight back from that kind of deficit with only 5 minutes left on the scoreboard. That kind of deficit will make any sane fan leave the game or change the channel, because the losing outcome is almost certainly inevitable. So how did this happen at the top level of collegiate competition, leaving living legend head coach Rick Pitino in awe?
One reason is because of the man himself. Pitino is regarded as one of the most brilliant minds ever to teach the game. He has seen it all. He is the only coach in history to take three different schools to the NCAA Final Four, he has coached the NBA’s Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, he has produced endless All-Americans, and he currently holds the 12th best winning percentage among active coaches. These are just a few of Pitino’s accolades, but plenty of reason why he can convince just about anyone to win, no matter the circumstance. That is exactly what Pitino did against Marquette. No doubt the chances of winning were slim, as the final minutes were approaching, but this didn’t stop Pitino. Even if the deficit was 50, he wasn’t going to give up.
Comebacks like the one witnessed on Jan. 15 start with a great coach. But not every team fully commits to a coach’s philosophy. This is another reason why the Cardinals where able to initiate this historic comeback. With half the team injured and a tired squad, the Cardinals bought into Pitino’s message: Fight for each other as a team. This win was strictly a group effort, from the team lifting each other up, to senior guard Preston Knowles hitting non-stop 3-pointers, to younger Cards stepping up and making crucial plays.
The final reason why the Cards made this unforgettable comeback was the team’s exceptional perimeter shooting. U of L has had strong 3-point shooters in the past. In the 2008-2009 season, former Cardinal guard Jerry Smith hit 55 3-pointers in 115 attempts, becoming the second Cardinal with the highest 3-point percentage in a season (.478). Now the Cardinals have junior guard Kyle Kuric, who went 5-for-7 against St. John’s University, and Knowles, who is hands-down one of the best perimeter shooters in Cardinal history. Against Marquette, Knowles was 5-for-8, all in the second half. This brought the momentum the Cards needed to rally the team and the fans.
