After being banned from postseason play last year for allegedly paying escorts to sleep with recruits, Rick Pitino and company are back and could have an even better team this year. The Cardinals lose their top three scorers from a year ago, but bring back everyone else from a team that won 23 game. Louisville also added five-star recruit V.J. King as well as grad transfer Tony Hicks and have high hopes for this coming season.

ACC Roundup

Boston College

Clemson

Duke

Florida State

Georgia Tech

Last Season

The Louisville Cardinals missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006 thanks to a self-imposed ban by the university during the investigation of an escort scandal. Even with all the off-the-court issues, the Cardinals continued to do what they always do on the court, which is win. Louisville went 23-8 (12-6) and finished the season ranked 16th in the nation.

After losing eight players the year prior to a variety of reasons, the Cardinals were in dire need of some experience and leadership. To remedy this problem, Coach Pitino went out and snagged a pair of graduate transfers in Damion Lee (Drexel) and Trey Lewis (Cleveland State). The pair were Louisville’s top two leading scorers at 15.9 ppg for Lee and 11.3 ppg for Lewis. On top of that, the duo accounted for 58% of the Cardinals three-pointers made. The Cardinals had a young yet deep squad last season with seven players returning that averaged at least 10 minutes a game.

Louisville had one of the best defenses in the nation thanks in large part to the emergence of sophomore big man Chinanu Onuaku. As a freshman, Onuaku showed some promise averaging 3 ppg and 4.7 rpg while blocking 42 shots in 35 games. During his sophomore campaign, Onuaku was arguably one of the most improved players in the nation averaging 9.9 ppg and 8.5 rpg while blocking 62 shots in 31 games.

Louisville started fast during the 2015-2016 season going 5-0 versus five mid-majors. The Cardinals then lost a tightly contested game when they traveled to East Lansing to take on the #3 team in the nation Michigan State. Louisville went on to rattle off six straight wins and climbed to 16th in the nation with a record of 11-1. In the final game of the non-conference portion of the season, the Cardinals traveled to Rupp Arena to take on Kentucky in the Battle for the Bluegrass. Despite 27 points from Damion Lee the Cardinals came up agonizingly short and fell to the Wildcats 73-75.

In ACC play the Cardinals again got off to a fast start, winning six of their first seven and pushing their record to 17-3 (6-1). On January 30th the Cardinals offense was stifled by Virginia’s defense and held under 50 for the first time all season. Two days later Louisville bounced back in a big way with a six-point win over #2 North Carolina, 71-65. After taking care of Boston College the Cardinals were 19-4 (8-2) and ranked #13 in the nation going into the final eight games of the regular season. Louisville split those last eight games, highlighted by a win over Duke on February 20th, to finish the season 23-8 (12-6).

After the conclusion of the season, Chinanu Onuaku declared for the NBA draft and was taken 37th overall by the Houston Rockets. Onuaku joins Lee and Lewis, who both graduated, as the three players to leave the program after last season. The three accounted for 49% of the Cardinals’ scoring last season along with 41% of their rebounding and 46% of their steals and will be tough to replace.

Coaching

After playing for UMass from 1971-1974, Rick Pitino got his start coaching in 1974 when he was hired as an assistant coach at the University of Hawaii. He spent three years on the sideline in Honolulu, and even served as Hawaii’s interim head coach in 1976. Pitino went 2-4 in his six games as Hawaii’s head coach before taking a job as an assistant under newly hired Syracuse head coach, Jim Boeheim, in 1976.

Pitino spent two seasons at Syracuse before taking his first head coaching job at Boston University in 1978. In his first season on the job, the Terriers saw a four-game improvement from the previous season and qualified for the 1980 NIT. During his time as the head coach at Boston University, Rick Pitino went 91-51 and qualified for the 1983 NCAA Tournament.

Pitino left Boston University after the 1983 season to serve as an assistant coach under Hubie Brown with the New York Knicks. After two unremarkable seasons with the Knicks, Pitino returned to the college game and was appointed the newest head coach at Providence College. In just his second season at the school Pitino got the Friars to the school’s second Final Four ever. Led by guard Billy Donovan, the Friars went 25-9 and lost to fellow Big East school Syracuse in the national semifinal.

Pitino parlayed his success at Providence into the newly vacated head coaching job with the New York Knicks. In his first season as the Knicks’ head coach, Pitino got New York back to the playoffs for the first time in four season. The Knicks finished the season with a record of 38-44 and received the eight-seed and a first round matchup with the Boston Celtics. In his second season with the team, the Knicks were one of the most improved teams in the NBA. New York’s record improved by 14 wins as the Knicks went 52-30, which was good for the second-seed in the East. The Knicks easily dispatched the Philadelphia 76ers in three games in the first round before losing to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in six games.

After spending only two seasons with the New York Knicks, Rick Pitino resigned in May of 1989. Pitino again returned to the college game, this time, however, he was going to one of college basketball’s blue blood, Kentucky. When Pitino took over in Kentucky, the Wildcats were battling sanctions from the Eddie Sutton era in Lexington. During Pitino’s first two years at the school, they were unable to compete in the postseason or play on live TV. In his third season at the school, Pitino led the Wildcats to the Elite Eight for the first time in six years. This started a trend for Pitino at Kentucky as the school made it to at least the Elite Eight in five of the six seasons they were eligible for the postseason, including the 1996 National Championship.

Following his second straight appearance in the National Championship in 1997, Pitino left the Wildcats for another NBA gig, this time with the Boston Celtics. Along with making Pitino their head coach, the Celtics also made him the GM, CEO, and President of the team. His time in Boston was not a happy one for Pitino as his Celtics teams never once qualified for the playoffs or finished with a winning record. Pitino resigned in the middle of his fourth season with the Celtics’ record an abysmal 12-22.

Louisville hit the jackpot when they hired Rick Pitino to take over the team after Louisville legend Denny Crum retired in 2001. It didn’t take long for Pitino to take his third school to the Final Four; in 2005 the Cardinals went 33-5 and finished the season ranked 14th in the nation. In his twelfth season at Louisville, Pitino finally broke through and won his first championship with the Cardinals. Over the course of his 42 year coaching career, Coach Pitino amassed a record of 745-260 as a college head coach.

Returning Players

Louisville lost their top three scorers from last season which might give the casual fan a bit of doubt about their prospects this season. However, the Cardinals return everyone else from a team that won 23 games last season and has experience all over the court.

In the backcourt, the Cardinals return three players in Quentin Snider, Donovan Mitchell, and Ryan McMahon. Snider started 24 of the Cardinal’s 31 games last season while seeing his production go up across the board from his freshman year. The 6’2 junior guard might be one of the most underrated players in the ACC going into the season, and will play a big role in whatever success Louisville has this season. As a sophomore, Snider averaged 9.4 ppg and paced the Cardinals with 109 assists. Snider is a true point guard who excels at attacking the basket and making the smart pass to his teammates. As a shooter, Snider saw a major improvement last season, going from 28% as a freshman to over 40% as a sophomore.

Also returning in the backcourt is 6’3 sophomore combo guard Donovan Mitchell. During his first season at Louisville, Mitchell carved out a nice role for himself as a freshman, playing just over 19 minutes a game. Mitchell is constantly in attack mode while on the court and drives to the rim with purpose. When going to the rim Mitchell is able to absorb contact and still finish thanks to his strength and physicality. On the fastbreak, Mitchell is a capable ball handler and makes the smart pass more times than not. The biggest weakness to Mitchell’s game is his lack of a consistent jump shot. As a freshman, Mitchell only shot 25% from behind the arc which allows opposing defenders to help off of him when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands.

After redshirting his freshman year to physically develop, Ryan McMahon will be looking to join the Cardinal’s rotation this season. The 6′ guard from Florida has a reputation as a sharpshooter who can hurt you both off the dribble as well as in catch and shoot scenarios. When the ball is in his hands McMahon is more than capable of finding his teammates and does everything with a purpose. Without the ball McMahon is a tireless worker who knows how to use screens to get open looks from deep. McMahon isn’t the best of athletes and struggles at times to stick with opposing guards. Adding more weight to his frame would go a long way for McMahon as he continues to adjust to the college game.

In the frontcourt, the Cardinals return a bevy of talented and experienced big men and forwards. This group is anchored down low by senior center Mangok Mathiang who only played in 10 games last season thanks to a broken bone in his foot. While he may not be the most talented big man on the roster, Mathiang brings experience and will do all the little things down low. Mathiang won’t be the first option for the Cardinals, but he is capable of scoring under the basket off of drop passes and offensive rebounds. He can also hit a mid-range jump shot if he is left open. He has been a solid shot blocker for his entire career at Louisville and this year shouldn’t be any different.

Joining Mathiang at the center position are a pair of 7’+ juniors in Anas Mahmoud and Matz Stockman. Mahmoud is a long athletic big man who has a great feel for the game. Anas’ length along with his timing allows him to disrupt opposing offenses down low. He is far from a finished product, but should provide good depth down low if Mathiang’s foot is not quite at 100% yet. Stockman played in 21 games last season averaging 5.9 mpg for the Cardinals. While he didn’t play a ton, Stockman was efficient when he was on the court, shooting 58% from the field. Stockman is a great asset in the pick-and-roll game thanks to his large frame and his mobility for someone of his size.

At the forward position the Cardinals bring back three guys that all averaged double-digit minutes for Louisville last season. Junior Jaylen Johnson started 21 games last season and was a key part of Coach Pitino’s rotation. The 6’9 forward has excellent size and is a capable finisher above and around the rim. Johnson has a good motor and is a quick leaper, which allows him to beat his man for rebounds fairly consistently. Johnson isn’t much of a shooter at this stage in his career and shot only 54% from the free throw line last season. If he is able to improve on that number and add a mid-range jump shot that defenders must respect, then Johnson could surprise a lot of people this season.

Also back for the Cardinals is 6’10 sophomore Raymond Spalding. Spalding is an extremely athletic forward that moves very well and is able to get out and run on the fast break. Despite his size, Spalding has a good face up game and can take slower defenders off of the dribble when presented the opportunity. Ray has a high basketball IQ and is a good weak-side defender who knows where to be on the court at all times. Spalding is the leading returning rebounder for Louisville thanks in large part to his 7’1 wingspan.

The final player returning for the Cardinals is 6’7 sophomore Deng Adel. Adel came into Louisville as the 32nd ranked player in the nation last year, but only played 11.7 minutes as a freshman due to all the talent in front of him. He can play both forward positions and can give defenders fits with his versatility. He is just as comfortable down low as he is taking a jump shot. His range stretches out to the three-point line if he is given time to set his feet. On the fast break Adel is very difficult to stop when the ball is in his hands thanks to his strength. Adel’s motor is always on and he plays with a sense of urgency on both ends of the court.

Incoming Players

Due to the fact that Louisville has so many players returning from last year’s team the Cardinals only brought two guys into the program this season. The first was five-star SG/SF V.J. King, and the second was graduate transfer Tony Hicks via Penn. The 6’7 King is a versatile wing who can do a little of everything on the court thanks to his explosive athleticism. King is a gifted scorer who is very difficult to stop in transition and can finish high above the rim with authority. He has excellent body control and a quick first step which allows him to beat his man routinely off the dribble. King is a good but not great shooter who has range out to the three-point line and will make defenses pay if he is left open.

Tony Hicks comes to Louisville after spending the last four years at Penn. Hicks completed his degree last season while sitting out which allowed him to transfer into Louisville this year. The 6’2 guard is an accomplished scorer with over 1000 career points to his name already. Hicks is a good shooter who can do a lot of damage really fast if he isn’t accounted for by defenses. Along with being a good shooter, Hicks is also a solid passer and finished second on Penn in assists during the 2014-2015 season. The biggest concern with Hicks is his ability to hold onto the ball, in all three of his seasons at Penn he had more turnovers than assists.

Season Outlook

The Cardinals will once again be competing to finish in the upper echelon of the ACC after missing the NCAA Tournament last season. With so much depth and talent at his disposal, Coach Pitino should be able to unleash one of his better teams in recent years. With the NCAA’s investigation wrapping up, the Cardinals await the final word on the sanctions the school could be facing. Rick Pitino is confident that the sanctions the school placed on themselves will be satisfactory to the NCAA. If the is the case don’t be shocked to see the Cardinals make a deep run this March.