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Louisville Basketball: Louisville Cardinals 2015-16 Season Preview

By Beaumont Rand

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Louisville Cardinals

2014-2015 Record: 27-9 (12-6, ACC)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament – Elite Eight

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Up until a week ago, the Louisville Cardinals’ coaches, players, program and fanbase were facing a transitional season. Gone are all those who played a major role on the championship-level teams of 2012-14.

But the addition of fifth-year transfer seniors Trey Lewis and Damion Lee and a top-ten recruiting class to a mostly-inexperienced roster was supposed to keep Rick Pitino’s squad stocked with ACC contending talent.

There would be the obvious growing pains when it comes to team chemistry, but Louisville was certainly expected to be competitive, as always.

That narrative was entirely eradicated in a matter of forty-eight hours. The release of a book detailing the presence of paid escorts in the players’ dorms and the resulting scandal has brought the proud and successful Cardinal program under fire.

Now questions abound regarding the investigation and its fallout, ranging from whether the Louisville will be able to participate in the 2016 postseason, to whether Rick Pitino will remain as coach. With the NCAA and internal investigation looming over the program, the Cards and their Hall of Fame coach will face intense pressure on and off the court this season.

Newcomers

G – Trey Lewis (transfer from Cleveland St.)
G/F – Damion Lee (transfer from Drexel)
G – Donovan Mitchell (#30 247Sports Composite)
F – Deng Adel (#36 247Sports)
F – Raymond Spalding (#43 247Sports)
G – Ryan McMahon (#233 247Sports)

Key Non-Conference Games

Nov. 13 vs Samford – Yes, two weeks later Louisville will face an on-the-rise Saint Louis team in Brooklyn that, talent-wise, will be a bigger test. However, this season-opening home game will be the first opportunity the players and coaches will have to step out of the shadow of the scandal.

This would routinely be an easy, seasoning-opening W against a mid-major (though the Bulldogs are coached by Scott Padgett, who played for Pitino at Kentucky).

Now, this game will most certainly be magnified, and it will be imperative for the Cards to have a strong showing while emerging from a difficult offseason.

Dec. 2 at Michigan St. – Things get real rather quickly for the Cardinals, as they will travel to one of the toughest road environments in college basketball for the B1G/ACC Challenge.

After an extremely narrow loss to the Spartans in the the Elite Eight last year, Louisville’s returning players will certainly have a chip on their shoulder.

But the Breslin Center is not kind to those teams with youth and without experience playing together. Without some early offense, this could get out of hand early for Louisville, let alone any team.

No matter the outcome, this game will benefit them going forward for the tough road environments they will face in conference play.

Dec. 26 at Kentucky – Interestingly enough, this one will be massive despite neither team being a shoo-in preseason title contender.

The typical vitriol inside Rupp Arena for this game will significantly amplified; certainly the Big Blue faithful will use the scandal to further gloat and mock their rival.

On top of that, Calipari has certainly restocked his roster with young talent, though there will be less returning experience than last year’s 38-1 squad.

Fortunately for the Cards, they will already have a true road game under their belts, but this will be very different. Louisville and their patented press has always had trouble with Kentucky’s size and length.

Rick Pitino, who has just managed one win against Calipari while in Lexington, will hope his young team comes together quick enough to have the chemistry and maturity to win within this hornet’s nest.

Key Players

Damion Lee – The Cardinals, who are losing the lion’s share of last year’s offensive output, will rely upon this prolific scorer from Drexel to compensate for the losses. The 6-6 195-pound swingman, who was the fourth in the country in scoring last season at 21.4 PPG, will be the offensive anchor for a Cardinals squad whose MO the past few seasons has been suffocating full and half-court defense. Lee is filling in at the wing for departed senior Wayne Blackshear and will be expected to know the multitude of defensive roles required of a Louisville guard. That, and his leadership role as a fifth-year senior will go a long way in determining the Cards’ potential.

Chinanu Onuaku – After a freshman season of ups-and-downs, beginning in the starting line-up, pulled for Mangok Mathieng and Anas Mahmoud, and finding his way back into the starting rotation, Onuaku looks to be the guy to fill the void in Louisville’s frontcourt left by Montrezl Harrell. Onuaku is strong and rebounds well, but his offensive game was unpolished across the board last season. Spending the summer with the gold-winning U19 U.S. national team (where averaged nearly 10 points and 7 boards) has been a boon for his game and confidence. If Louisville’s frontcourt is to contend with the likes of Carolina’s and Virginia’s in the ACC, Onuaku must be a major part of that success.

Season Outlook

The combination of the sex scandal, departures, transfers, top-level recruits and tough schedule make the Cards’ outlook murky.

No level of college basketball clairvoyance can anticipate the struggles and challenges the program may face in the coming months.

But none of that changes that Rick Pitino is one of the top five coaches in the college game, a brilliant tactician and a master motivator especially when it counts.

Louisville may very well suffer early-season setbacks on the road against Michigan St. and Kentucky, but they will be tested and ready for their second season of ACC play.

It would be foolish to assume that Rick Pitino’s team, though not one of the top teams in the ACC, will find their way into the upper third of the conference. If no postseason ban is levied, then this team will again seek to win 20-plus games and shoot for a top five seed in the tourney.

Next: Duke Blue Devils 2015-16 Season Preview

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