Seedy K’s GameCap: Miami – Card Chronicle

The way my mind works, I had a lede prepped, should Chucky Hepburn be MIA Saturday afternoon, and should the Cardinals prevail nonetheless.

No Chucky. No problem.

Would I have written, a fellow who has considered CH the singular indispensable cog in the Cardinals’ wheel on fire rollin’ down the road.

He was not available.

The Cardinals prevailed. (And, I guess you could say I wrote it anyway.)

Louisville 88, pesky Miami 78.

But that lede really would have only played in Snarkadelphia. Anybody with a hint of hoops sense knows any successes are short term until U of L’s ace is back running the show.

Yes, U of L is +27 in his absence. Over two tilts.

But there was a blessing in scheduling. The two foes are ACC bottom feeders, BC and Miami. The latter, losers of 15 of their last 17, being coached on Saturday by the assistant to the assistant who replaced the head guy who on Boxing Day said “No Mas.”

* * * * *

Which journey for an opening morphed to Ray Charles when rapidly improving, increasingly essential pivot James Scott went down and out with 11:14 to play in the 1st.

Scrambling on the floor for the orange, a Hurricane accidentally fell on his head.

But you see if it wasn’t for bad luck/ Trying to tell you son if it wasn’t for bad luck, now now/ Oh, oh, I wouldn’t have no luck at all/ Would you believe I wouldn’t have no luck at all

Bleeding, tooth issues ensued.

JS did not return.

Up 8 when he exited, the Cards won by 10.

No Flushmaestro. No Problem.

I know it’s not really true. You know it’s not really true. And you know that I know it’s hopefully a short term thing.

But, along with the bad luck, here’s what the Cards have:

Terrence Edwards. Reyne Smith. J’Vonne Hadley. Noah Waterman. Khani Rooths. Kader Traore. Frank Anselem-Ibe.

And a coach Pat Kelsey and coaching staff who know how to craft collage.

Despite the level of the foe, the win was a masterpiece of cut and paste.

* * * * *

U of L never trailed. Hadley scored on the opening possession of the battle, and the Cards answered every Hurricane thrust.

My favorite sequence which I also consider as important as any in the victory.

Down 8 at the break, the U scored on three of its four opening forays in the 2d. They were in the paint, too easy, one a fastbreak flush. The Cardinals only answer was a Smith triple. But it appeared obvious, to me anyway, the game could have swung if the bleeding didn’t stop. If Miami didn’t get the message Louisville would not be denied.

On the trip under the microscope, the advantage cut to five, Smith missed a bomb, Traore rebound, Waterman missed a three, Traore another offensive board. KT’s follow also didn’t fall, and the ball went out of bounds off a visitor during Traore’s fight for a fouorth window swipe in one possession.

How many times has U of L scored on inbounds along the way? A lot.

Happened here. A Reyne Drop from Down Under. 52-44.

Exhale.

It was not long after that another critical interlude played out.

After that Smith LRBM. Miami ran off five in a row. With a +1 to shoot coming out of the 15:49 timeout.

The U didn’t accept the charity. Edwards drove for two. Stop. Smith’s trey rimmed out but he netted three at the stripe. Edwards block. Waterman from beyond the arc.

Two minutes eighteen seconds of let’s get some distance here. 60-49.

Miami kept coming. But whatever Cardinal combo of put together five on the court answered. The Canes never cut it to less than five.

To use Hadley’s phrasing after the BC W, these guys are dogs.

Junkyard dogs.

* * * * *

Terrence Edwards.

We are not worthy. (But oh so glad you came to the Ville instead of following your coach to Vandy.)

Terrence Edwards.

Forty minutes.

Terrence Edwards.

27 points. 10/16, 3/4 from distance. 4/4 at the line.

Terrence Edwards.

5 rebounds.

Terrence Edwards.

10 assists. (Only two giveaways though he was exhausted midway through the 2d.)

Terrence Edwards.

Thank you.

* * * * *

Everybody who played contributed significantly.

Without a post presence of any significance, which flaw allowed Miami to tally 44 in the paint, U of L in man to man all the way, was relentless on defense.

You shall hear no diss of defense here.

Reyne Smith. 26 points, 4 caroms, 5 assists.

J’Vonne Hadley. 12, 7 and 2.

Khani Rooths. 9 and 6.

Noah Waterman. 8 and 5.

Kader Traore. 4 and 8.

Frank A-I. 2 points.

The Cards turned it over only 8 times.

The Cards drained 10 of their 11 FT attempts.

* * * * *

These Cardinals are bodacious.

These Cardinals are resilient.

These Cardinals are supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

These Cardinals are 18-6 (11-2).

That final one more once: Louisville 88, Miami 78.

— c d kaplan