Middle Tennessee State vs. Louisville: 2018 NIT Preview
By Ryan Shepard
In a matchup of two former bubble teams, the Blue Raiders will travel to Louisville to prove their worth.
Game Info
Network: ESPN2
Date: Monday, March 18th at 6:30 p.m.
Location: KFC Yum! Center (Louisville, KY)
How have the Cardinals been playing lately?
Cards advance to the 2nd round of the #NIT and will play the winner of Vermont/Middle Tennessee!
— Louisville Men's Basketball (@LouisvilleMBB) March 14, 2018
Deng Adel had 16 points in the second half to lead Louisville with 20. pic.twitter.com/2DkAiETFtw
The Cardinals came out in the first round of the NIT and did what they had to do to get a win and nothing more. Trailing by seven at halftime, the Cardinals came out with a strong performance in the third quarter by starting the second half with a 13-6 run. However, there were not many other bright spots for the Cardinals. While leading scorer, Deng Adel, led the team with twenty points while shooting 58% from the field, the rest of Louisville’s starters shot 5-19 from the floor.
As a team, the Cardinals shot 40% from the field and were 6-18 from three-point range. If the Cardinals come out playing this way against the Blue Raiders, the seniors will be clearing out their lockers.
How have the Blue Raiders been playing lately?
Middle Tennessee State came out and made a statement Tuesday night in the first round of the NIT. The Blue Raiders stomped all over Vermont with a 91-64 win. The Catamounts led by five after the first quarter but were outscored 57-21 in the second and third quarters.
The Blue Raiders shot 63% from the field and outrebounded the America East regular-season champions by twelve. The Blue Raiders had a legitimate argument to be in the tournament and they came out and proved that they belonged with this performance.
Key Player to Watch
https://twitter.com/LouisvilleMBB/status/973715356178100224
Putting up twenty points on 7-12 shooting, Deng Adel appeared to be the only who showed up motivated on Tuesday night. While Adel will need more help to pull off a win against the Blue Raiders, he will be the key to their chances of getting to the NIT quarterfinals. Since missing a pair of games in early February, Adel has averaged sixteen points, six rebounds, and three assists.
Next: Impact of UMBC's historic upset win
However, he has done all of this by averaging a pair of turnovers each game and four different instances in which he has shot 33% or less from the field. If Adel turns over the ball and can’t shoot, the Cardinals will have issues against the Conference USA regular-season champions.
Prediction: Middle Tennessee State, 80 – Louisville, 72