Cards claw back from the brink, top Pitt 73-62

Throw the records out the window, that was a good win. The Pitt Panthers were even more desperate than the Cards, had a key player return, and were riding the wave of ESPN Gameday energy. The Louisville Cardinals responded with poise and balanced offense to send the throngs home disappointed.

This looked much more like the team we expected this season. Louisville outhustled the opponent and never let up the effort on defense until suddenly, a few well-executed plays in a row, and we're in control of the contest. The hero of the game was, of course, Kyle Kuric, who came off the bench to pour in 21 points; he more than earned his face-time with Erin Andrews after this one.

But there were other strong showings as well. Chane Behanan played with more power and confidence than we've seen in awhile. Turns out, if he stays in the post, Chane's an effective weapon. Who knew? Russ Smith was a magician on defense and pestered the Pitt guards all night long, ripping away six steals. Despite some defensive lapses, Gorgui Dieng battled and led the Cards to a victory on the boards. And while I wouldn't call it a breakthrough performance, Peyton Siva came through in the clutch and guided the team to the win down the stretch.

It's far too early to talk about turnarounds, but this was a damn good step back towards the proverbial light. If they continue to fight like this they can still become what we all thought they would be. A dangerous basketball team that nobody wants to play.