Head above water and kickin': Cards down Villanova 84-74

The silver-lining of having your back against the wall is that you learn the fight or flight reflex for your squad earlier than most. This team is still fighting.

It felt like a Big East tourney game; meaning, it was strange. A bridge shutdown kept many fans from making the opening tipoff, UofL's number one priority from the scouting report keep Nova off the free throw line quickly flew out the window, both teams were saddled with dumb, self-inflicted foul trouble, and the ESPN announcers were berating the unruly Louisville fans for booing the referees. It was weird.

To me, the most important stretch of the game was the first minutes of the second half when the Cards erased a 5 point deficit and sent Maalik Wayns to the bench with his 4th foul. Till that point, the game was beginning to resemble a movie, a horror movie, that we've seen before. But tonight the script deviated; is was Peyton Siva that led the way back; he flashed a perimeter game (at one point described by the announcer as "silky" that nearly made me faint) and commanded the game with poise (5 assists, 1 turnover). Peyton Siva's performance was the most encouraging sign for these Cardinals not only making the tournament, but making a run in the tournament, that we have seen in a long time.

The rest of the game was a blur of scrappiness; I need to rewatch this one to figure out what truly transpired. Chane sat out much of the game for picking up dumb fouls, but there was a stretch in the 2nd half when he dominated. I can't remember Gorgui taking a shot yet he finished with 12 big points. Kuric and Chris Smith disappeared for long minutes only to surface like submarines to torpedo in 3s. Jared Swopshire nailed the coffin shut. Like I said, it was weird.

But, however it happened, the fact is that the Louisville Cardinals are back to .500 in conference play and are hitting the road with more than a modicum of momentum. Most importantly, they look to be having fun again, and as a result, the fans have reason to smile as well.