POINT GUARD

Scoop Jardine vs. Peyton Siva

Siva has the talent and the speed to be a sophomore stud. The native of Seattle has been featured in Sportscenter’s top plays already this year. But if the heady-Jardine surfaces, the frenetic Siva could direct the Cards into a loss. That’s a big if.

 

SHOOTING GUARD

Brandon Triche vs. Preston Knowles

For the second straight game, SU will be going up against a much smaller opponent from the 2-guard spot to center. Still, just like the Georgetown game, the Cardinals will have the advantage here in Knowles. The strong under-sized guard will slash to draw fouls. Once at the line, he will convert at a top-rate clip. If SU’s zone can prevent that, its chances will be bolstered.

 

SMALL FORWARD

Kris Joseph vs. Chris Smith

Not really a matchup here, as Louisville tends to go with a four-guard lineup. Still, Smith is the Triche-like X-factor. He exploded for huge scoring nights at Villanova and Providence. But did little at Connecticut and Georgetown. But this year he has become a threat from 3, shooting 44 percent, and that could worry SU.

 

POWER FORWARD

Rick Jackson vs. Kyle Kuric

Again, not a matchup in the traditional sense. Jackson is coming off his worst outing of the year, and it will be interesting to see if he can body with Terrence Jennings in order to have his usual field day. Kuric, on the other hand, is coming off his best outing of the year. A 28-point performance that trumps Jackson’s best scoring output by seven-points. If he keeps it up, SU will be in serious trouble.

 

CENTER

Fab Melo vs. Terrence Jennings

Jennings gets the clear edge here. In practice, Melo showcases extreme athletic ability for a 7-footer, something that will become a scary player in two years. But against the one team and coach Melo would have gone to over SU, he and Baye Moussa Keita will be facing a freak-athlete who has harnessed athletic ability with his football-body. If Jennings can help UL pilfer rebounds to the advantage Georgetown had Wednesday, SU will hurt.

 

 

FREE THROWS

• Syracuse hasn’t beaten Louisville since Feb. 18, 2006 in the Carrier Dome. In that game, current graduate assistant Gerry McNamara had 30 points in a 79-66 SU win.

• Louisville has eight players averaging at least 6.3 points per game.

 

STAT TO KNOW

Louisville averages 9.4 steals per game, good for tops in the Big East and fifth in the nation.

 

Big number: 63.2

The shooting percentage fro the field (24-for-38) for Louisville’s Kyle Kuric over the last four games. In that same span, he is 12-of-21 (57.1 percent) on 3-pointers. Last season against the Orange, Kuric had 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting.

 

Fortune cookie: Not in the cards

 

Beat writer predictions

Tony Olivero

Louisville 74, Syracuse 68

In the second straight game where SU will faced an undersized team — much undersized – the quickness of a Pitino coached team will excel Against Georgetown, SU gave up the rebounding advantage. And versus a program famous for exploiting the Boeheim zone, SU won’t have enough. 

 

Brett LoGiurato

Louisville 78, Syracuse 69

Louisville isn’t exactly on fire as a whole, but the guy who burned Syracuse last year is. Continuing its defensive success over the past three games will be huge, but it won’t happen on the road.

Andrew L. John

Louisville 76, SU 71

Published on February 11, 2011 at 12:00 pm