ACC Basketball: Analyzing each team's overall offense for 2020-21 season

ACC Basketball: Analyzing each team’s overall offense for 2020-21 season

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 10: Teammates Jordan Goldwire #14, Wendell Moore Jr. #0 and Tre Jones #3 of the Duke Blue Devils react after a play against the Florida State Seminoles during their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 10, 2020 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

9 of 16

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – FEBRUARY 22: David Johnson #13 of the Louisville Cardinals (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Lousiville Cardinals

2019-20: 72.9 ppg in ACC play

Coach Chris Mack is going to have every opportunity to keep Louisville Basketball in the Associated Press top 25 despite losing his top four scorers. To remain in the AP Poll Coach Mack will have to rely on having the second stingiest defense in the ACC, which will also suffer from the departure of Jordan Nwora (18 ppg), Steven Enoch (9.5 ppg) Dwayne Sutton (91. ppg), and Ryan McMahon (8.7 ppg).

One does not have to ‘deconstruct’ the Cardinals‘ offense to realize that at the center of the double stack formation was Nwora who averaged 14 field goal attempts per game. Despite only one returning starter, if Coach Mack wants to maintain his offensive set-up he can shift the focus from small forward where Nwora played and where sophomore Samuell Williamson (4.4 ppg) No. 20 on the 2019 RSCI will be playing, to power forward where 6’8 redshirt freshman Jae’lyn Withers will start.

Last season, as shooting guard, David Johnson (6.3 ppg) would initiate the offense, this season the 6’5 Johnson will be running the point to allow Radford Grad Transfer Carlik Jones (20 ppg) to play at the two-spot. With Withers playing on the strong side to receive the initiating pass, Carlik can cut through the key to set up on the strong-side corner to overload it with shooters. At almost 41%, Carlik becomes the best three-point shooter for Louisville and keeps the shooting threat on the left side.

Since Jones is a threat from deep, it will benefit Malik Williams in the post as Carliks defender will not be able to double down. If Withers’ defender does, that allows Withers to cut to the basket and use his athleticism in the paint, a role Williamson will be able to do on the weak side. Whereas the 6’5 Dwayne Sutton needed Enoch to set a screen in order to get to the basket or kick back to Enoch, who connected on the same amount of threes in ’19-’20 as Williams did.

Due to JUCO standout, Jay Scrubb forgoing any time at Lousiville, scoring off the bench will be dependant upon San Francisco transfer Charles Minlend (14.4 ppg), returning guard Josh Nickelberry (8 ppg) in the backcourt and 6’10 Aiden Igiehon in the frontcourt. Freshman D’Andre Davis could see double-digit minutes as Chris Mack only went nine deep last season.