THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS ARE GOING TO THE FINAL FOUR!

SO PROUD. GO CARDS!!!

VillenHD presents UofL-Michigan State

Enemy Dossier: Patric Young

NAME: Young, Patric AKA Special No K, Mr. 2-10s, The One True Big

HOMETOWN: Jacksonville, FL

SIZE & STATS: 6'9'' 247lbs (10.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.2 apg)

CARDINAL COUNTERPART: Gorgui Dieng

POSITION ADVANTAGE: UofL

MR. RED'S TAKE: It'll be a much different task for Gorgui tomorrow. Instead of matching up against the three-headed monster of bulk in the Spartan post, he will be asked to contain the athletic quickness of Patric Young, the Gators' biggest threat in the paint.

Now a sophomore, the former five-star recruit has had a productive, if uneven career in Gainsville. Like Dieng, he's been known first as defensive stopper with extreme athleticism. There's not a matchup in the paint where Young does not have a quickness advantage. Though he's capable of shutting down his man, he's not a prolific shot blocker.

He is still raw on the offensive end. Young is not much of a one-on-one threat, but can rack up points with dunks and tip-ins. Without a deep repertoire of post-moves (though he does sport an improved baby-hook), he's most dangerous when the Gator guards penetrate; he has surprisingly good hands and runs the floor like a deer.

Due to his size he's an integral part of a Florida team that relies heavily on small ball. But he's not the key to their success, and Gorgui has the length and attitude on defense to contain him in a halfcourt set. The greater burden will be on the perimeter defense. Keeping the Gator guards from penetrating is the way to keep Patric Young under wraps.

Tweet of the Day

Well it looks like we're all square with Jeff Goodman, the college basketball pundit who famously chided Cards fans for celebrating when Gorgui Dieng was cleared to play by the NCAA with some snark about the big man's potential.

This team is serving out heaps of crow for various fans, experts, players to eat, so I suppose Jeff Goodman can now be officially let off the hook for dissing the Gorgui Monster. Although I'm pretty sure he still owes Mike Rutherford a something or other that I can't recall at the moment, so maybe we can still hold that against him.

Bulleting my way to the Elite Eight

It was one of the things that stood out to me pre-game. Louisville was simply a tougher team. That idea was validated last night, as the Cards were the fresher more aggressive squad in the second half and the body-language of the Spartans withered as a result. Tom Izzo admitted as much afterwards, that his team looked lethargic, positing if his travel schedule (heading to Phoenix on Monday instead of Tuesday) played a role.

That ain't it. No doubt Izzo is a coaching legend, perhaps a future Hall of Famer. But his more player-friendly style could not carry the day, yesterday. Yesterday, Pitino's punishing style of preparing his team paid dividends. This run has been a redemption tour in so many ways, but included in that list are Rick Pitino's methods that came under scrutiny during the injury-plagued days earlier this season. We were tougher. Plain and simple.

Speaking of redemption, Jared Swopshire is doing his utmost to make sure his Louisville career is not forgotten. I've been hard on Swop at times, but the quality of his character has never been in doubt. It's exciting to see him elevate his play to match his personality. Those two 3s were daggers.

UofL was on the wrong end a couple of times, but the way that game was called was a blessing. The refs were letting them go at it in the paint. Gorgui staying out of foul trouble was at the tip top of everyone's list of keys to the game. It should have played to Michigan State's advantage as well, but with Gorgui in "the zone" defensively, we came out on top far more often than not.

If you still doubt the auspicious overtones of this magical run, you need to get religion quickly. Rick Pitino flipping the roles against Tom Izzo, basking in being on the sunny side of the "outcoaching" articles, is only the beginning. UofL now advances to face Florida. Three years ago, Big Rick was forced to recommend his son take an assistant position with the Gators with the Sypher Scandal looming. In one of the most personal moments of his testimony in that trial, Pitino got choked up speaking about how difficult that recommendation was when the future was uncertain.

Yesterday in his post-game comments with Eric Crawford, Pitino had a small smile on his face when he talked about how the Cards would face the next opponent with a quick turnaround. "Richard knows them like the back of his hand," Pitino said. Strange forces are at work here, people.

A month ago I would not have thought the Cards were capable of winning any tournament game, let alone against a #1 seed, with Kyle Kuric shooting 1-5 from three. It's a testament to this team's resiliency. I am a tad concerned about the King, however. He did come through with some nice veteran plays to get on the board with 7 points, but there's no doubt he's struggling with his shot. Kuric certainly isn't hurting the team by any means, but he's not stepping up in the way we know he is capable.

Kuric is the kind of player that you never count out, however. I still think he's got some magic in his bag of tricks that we'll see before his career is over.

Gorgui 3. What can you say? Afterwards when asked about it, he said in his inimitable way: "I was open". You'll be telling your children about this man, I'm telling you.

It dawned on me yesterday that playing out West is an advantage for this team. The Cards have been the road warriors in the Big East since they joined the conference; clearly they are comfortable on the road. In some ways I think it was beneficial to get into a complete basketball bubble, thousands of miles away from their regular Louisville lives. Stinks for the fans, but for this team, I think it was a good thing.

I'm sure Draymond Green is a great person, fine player no doubt. But he was taking some cheap shots yesterday.

Final Four teams are never forgotten. This team is 40 minutes away from etching a legacy. GO CARDS.

Quote of the Day

I'm ashamed to say it, but I think we were worn out."

                                 -Tom Izzo

Sweet 16 Postgame Presser

CARDS UPSET MICHIGAN STATE, ADVANCE TO ELITE EIGHT

Revenge is sweet. So is redemption. Put them together, and you have what every Cardinal fan is feeling tonight.

Louisville has upset Michigan State. This win, knocking out the #1 seed in our bracket, exorcises any remaining demons haunting the program from when the Spartans knocked out top-seeded Louisville three years ago. Yes, these players might not have been those players, but their coach is still Izzo, and ours is still Pitino. This time, ours outcoached yours.

We won the game because we were the tougher, more durable team, plain and simple. During the second half, when Michigan State fell apart in the face of Louisville's relentless pressure, I kept flashing back to Mr. Red's anecdote about Tom Izzo feeling sorry for his players and giving them an afternoon off. Red was right; never in a million years would Pitino ever let up on his players because he felt sorry for them. Tonight we saw the product of that approach.

The game was a national coming-out party for Gorgui Dieng, who dominated without hardly scoring at all -- 7 blocked shots that reverberated across the basketball punditry, 9 boards, and 3 steals. Oh, and he hit a three. Anyone who didn't know, surely does now: Gorgui is an absolute monster. The type that scrambles to help you up after slapping your shot into the tenth row.

No less important was the second half explosion of freshman Chane Behanan. 15 points in 20 minutes, many contested, all powerful; and 9 rebounds including 4 offensive. Chane's come a long way from those early season games where he appeared to lack touch. His toughness was crucial. Between the two of them, Gorgui and Chane enabled Louisville to claim a victory on the glass by outrebounding the Spartan's big boys down low 34-32 -- a Pitino ingredient for victory.

Stats here.

Alright Cards fans, I know everyone with a pulse has by now countenanced what could  occur next week if we were to win on Saturday. Put it away; move to the back of your minds any thoughts of It Which Shall Not Be Named. On Saturday, we will either face off against a Marquette team eager to gain its own revenge, or a Florida team coached by Pitino's former wonderboy -- at present, it's looking like the latter option. At this point, this should be all that attracts our attention.

What shall be, the Basketball Gods shall will it to be. On Saturday we will find out this team's fate. Between now and then, we hope you will revel in the latest victory of this scrappy basketball squad. These Cardinals are one game away from etching their own permanent place in Cardinal lore.

Congrats Coach Pitino and our Louisville Cardinals. GO CARDS!

Michael Bush to the Bears

Michael Bush has his landing spot. The former-Cardinal stud just signed a four-year, $14 million dollar contract ($7 mil guaranteed) with the Chicago Bears after moving on from the Oakland Raiders. I'm really happy for him, as being a free-agent running back in the NFL is a nerve-wracking business.

He'll no doubt be used to provide the Thunder to Matt Forte's Lightning, and the two should shape up to be one of the most formidable combos in the NFC. Congrats, Mr. Bush.

Kayefseum throwing out too many loaves of bread

There was an interesting, much anticipated article in the CJ today detailing the financial status of the Yum! Center since opening in 2010. There had been rumblings for awhile that the numbers weren't matching the projections for the Arena. The writing was on the walls, as the recent firing of general manager Ted Nicholson suggested that bad news was on the way, and someone was going to have to take the fall.

Frankly, the report wasn't nearly as bleak as I imagined. Revenue from the Arena is spot on, even exceeding projections, but operating expenses have far outpaced what was anticipated and threaten the re-payment schedule. I'm no city-planner, but some of this seems to be breaking in the new building and learning the most efficient methods for operation; the article mentioned that utility costs were cut by 30% simply by changing the hours the outside lights were on.

Thus far, no one has offered an explanation as to why the expense estimations were so far off. Again, I'm just spitballing, but I'm not surprised that rosier-than-reality projections were made when the project was being sold to get it off the ground. The report details that the original plans factored in a restaurant and bar overlooking the Ohio that was to be open year-round that never came to be as part of the reason.

But while the report certainly wasn't good news for the city, it wasn't nearly as bleak as I was prepared for. One thing's for sure, the University of Louisville is making out like bandits under the current arrangement and will likely be asked to renegotiate its profits to help the facility cope with these economic realities.

Who?

Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond Draymond

All Draymond and no beer makes Red a dull boy. I've gotta hand it to the sports media, they know what they likes and they likes them the forward from Saginaw, Michigan.

You can read all about the effervescent big man here here here here here here here and here. Oh and here.

I'm not saying the big guy isn't worthy of praise (the Magic Johnson comparisons though, really?) but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't experiencing some Draymond Green fatigue.

We can humanize the opponent after the battle. Right now, all I want is to send this hefty hype-machine back to East Lansing where he and his fat friends can cry in their pizza boxes.

Beat Michigan State.

The Phoenix Lights

"Crazy shit happens in the Twilight Zone"

-anonymous Mr. Red friend

While killing time this week until, well, today, I was catching up on some old episodes of the Twilight Zone on Netflix. Shooting the breeze with a buddy of mine, trying to express how much I was enjoying revisiting the groundbreaking series, he jumped the gun and summed it up for me perfectly: "Oh yea, crazy shit happens in the Twilight Zone".

In addition to perhaps being my new life motto, I think the quip sums up all that needs to be said about tonight's matchup against Michigan State. It's been a big week for the Xs and Os aficionados, but for all the verbiage, there are sparse few conclusions to be drawn about what's going to transpire tonight. Not only are predictions from the pundits split, with the Cardinals finally getting some "trendy pick" respect (which scares me), but few seem to have much of a clue of how the winning team will advance.

Will they speed it up or slow it down? Does Siva need to just run the offense or attack with abandon? Should the Cards focus on shutting down Draymond Green, or let him get his and focus on the rest? And of course, the ubiquitous "they have to make shots" applies for both teams.

The pre-game buzz from both camps was similarly calculated and understated. Both coaches praised the other's team, spoke of the monumental task at hand, but each seemed to be speaking with a quiet confidence in his own squad's chances. The only player-smack was Draymond Green answering a question about UofL's press, saying they handled it in 2009 and "ran them out of the gym".

If that's qualifying as bulletin board material, then it's time to tip this one off.

As much as I would like to put my faith in Pitino's stellar record in the Sweet 16 and how dangerous he can be with a week to prepare for a tournament opponent, I do not think that will play much of a factor. There is no secret strategy, no weapon that will be unveiled, Chane Behanan will not start raining in threes.

It there is a key for this one, it seems to be coming out on the right end of those quirky 50/50 plays. Not losing a ball out of bounds after snagging a rebound. Blocking out on free throws. No blown dunks or layups. Praying that Gorgui gets a fair shake from the refs. 

So it's about focus, most of all. Other than that, I doubt either team will have success trying to gimmick a way to victory. It's a simple, roll the ball out and may the better team win game.

And I like our chances. But if Behanan does turn into a three-point specialist and we ride that wave to New Orleans, don't be entirely shocked. Crazy shit happens in the Twilight Zone.

Wayne Blackshear's soul (food) mate

Derrick Nix's struggle with weight is almost as famous as Oprah's. The Michigan State center has faced questions about his physique since his college career began when he arrived on campus a doughy 318 pounds and a pre-game meal ritual consisting of Little Caesar's and a 2-liter of soda.

His size limited his mobility, and thus his playing time in his first two seasons at Michigan State, averaging only 7 or 8 minutes a game. Nix's body fat was 24% and he couldn't get up and down the floor without tiring quickly.

As you can see by the photo, he's been working on it considerably, though at times it's been a bumpy ride. Last season he was poised to play a larger role, but was disappointed in his lack of playing time and sulked and ate his way out of shape as a result. At one point he even considered transferring, but had a change of heart and apologized to Coach Izzo.

This season Derrick Nix has had his best, most determined year at Michigan State. As his weight has dropped, his role on the team has grown. He plays almost 19 minutes a game, averaging 8 points and 4 boards a contest.

Though he's made great strides, at 6'7'' and somewhere in the 270lbs, 15% body fat range, he's still not what Rick Pitino would call optimum shape. And their opponents have taken notice. Before the opening round game against LIU Brooklyn, a guard for the lowly #16 seed made waves when he called the Michigan State big men "heavyset" and suggested they would struggle to match their quickness in the post.

The jab was clearly aimed at Nix, as well as fellow center Adreian Payne, himself no featherweight. The Spartans even called a team meeting (kind of silly, in my opinion) to discuss the "disrespect".

When the Cardinals square off against the literal and figurative heavyweights of the West region tomorrow, it also will be a contrast in mentality.

Rick Pitino has been mocked for his overzealous obsession with body fat index. While he can go overboard, it's clear that being in top physical shape is, of course, an advantage on the court. But it's also a mindset. Several players have revealed that mindset at various times this season, stating their belief that conditioning is a large advantage for the Cardinals.

Russ Smith in particular said last week that this team knows all the signs, the indicators when the opponent is getting fatigued. Little things like tugging on shorts during free throws or passing the ball more to get some wind during a possession. Smith said he looks for these signs to anticipate when his man will get a little sloppy with his dribbling, and picks that moment to strike for a steal.

I recall earlier this season I listened to Michigan State leader Draymond Green (himself no featherweight) be interviewed on the Jim Rome radio show. Green spoke about many things, but told one story in particular when he called Tom Izzo to complain on behalf of the team that they were being worked too hard in practice. Izzo obliged and gave them the day off, and the team responded with a big win in the following game.

I'm not saying one approach is better, Tom Izzo obviously is a coaching legend. But I remember as he told that story thinking that never in a million years could I imagine Pitino letting up on his team like that. It's just not what he does. I think he thinks it would be cheating them somehow.

So tomorrow we'll see the contrast both in physique and mentality. If the Cards prevail, it'll partially be because they've managed to out-spartan the Spartans.

T-Will the King

Freshly waived from the Houston Rockets, former-Cardinal favorite and now mercurial NBA small forward Terrence Williams will sign a 10-day contract with the Sacramento Kings. He'll join up with Francisco Garcia, as well as DeMarcus Cousins, and hopefully sign for a longer deal. I'm not sure if good basketball will ensue, but that has to be one of the most entertaining locker rooms in the NBA.

T-Will needed a change of scenery. Despite his unquestioned abilities, he wore out his welcome with Rockets fans for his perceived immaturity. Let's hope he makes the most of his next opportunity.

Where is he now? Goran Suton

Since we're feeling all exorcism-y this week, it seems only right to check in on a name that will forever go down in Cardinal infamy; former Michigan State big man Goran Suton.

Suton had a Cardinal-killing game for the ages in the 2009 Elite Eight. The 6'10 center from Sarajevo scored 19 points, grabbed 10 boards, dished 4 assists, and had a steal and a blocked shot against the top-seeded Cards. His biggest dagger was hitting 3 of 5 threes. UofL never adjusted, at times appearing to discover for the first time that the giant could shoot as the game unfolded. Suton's performance and Louisville's lack of a response was perhaps the biggest cause for the meme that Pitino got "outcoached", which is still the first typical thought expressed when recollecting that game.

At the time the big goofy-looking guy with the funny name made for a "guy coming out of nowhere" theme, as if he was simply having the game of his life (for the record, this is still how Syracuse fans regard Kuric's final Freedom Hall performance). That really doesn't tell the entire story, as Suton had an outstanding college career and equally impressive tournament run that year. He is one of only eight players in Spartan history to have 1000 points and 800 rebounds.

In the 2008-09 Tournament he killed a lot of teams, not just the Cards. He shut down USC's Taj Gibson in the opening round and then torched Kansas with a 20-9-5 performance. Suton went on to be named the first-team All-Tournament that year.

He rode that wave into the NBA Draft; Goran was selected in the second round, 50th overall, by the Utah Jazz. He got good reviews from coach Jerry Sloan, but it came down to a numbers game and Suton was cut before the 2009 season. This is kind of surprising to me, because Goran Suton seems like a Croatian-version of Josh Harrellson, who appears to be on his way to an NBA career (also it raises the issue of why Pitino's teams struggle against unathletic but physical bigs).

Anywho, Suton opted to not go the NBA D-league route, and returned across the Atlantic to play ball in Russia. He then played in Italy, and finally now plays for KK Cibona in Zagreb, Croatia. He is also a member of the sneaky-good Croatian national team.

A naturalized citizen, he now spends his offseasons in the US. He likely will never have to pay for another drink in East Lansing, where he has achieved folk hero status. His name still pops up on their message boards, especially after his presence down low was missed greatly the following season; his name has become symbolic for blue-collar, yeoman's work in the post.

So his future is still up in the air, but his past is also pretty interesting, though I was too catatonic to appreciate it at the time in '09. Growing up in war-torn Bosnia, Suton learned to play the game on a raggedy, pocked-court on the outskirts of Sarajevo. When the ball rolled off the court, he and his brother weren't allowed to retrieve it for fear of land mines (his grandpa did).

He credits his mother for guiding the family through the war zone with sacrifice and courage; they apparently saw many terrible things in a very short period of time. In fact, once emigrating to the U.S. one of the biggest sticking points for Coach Izzo was instilling a "do or die" attitude in Suton, who after experiencing actual life and death, had a hard time taking the game as seriously as his teammates.

So there's everything you never wanted to know about Goran Suton. He'll always have a place in Cardinal anti-history, though in this case, with the benefit of hindsight, I really don't mind.

VillenHD presents UofL over New Mexico

Weak sauce

Though they don't always dazzle you, it's difficult to find a true weakness when breaking down the Spartans. They do just about everything just about well enough.

One position the Cards may find success, however, is against Michigan State small forward Brandan Kearney. For those of you that watched the Saint Louis game, he was the one that was yanked from the game and threw a mini-hissy on the sidelines after drawing a foul when the game was nip and tuck.

It's not entirely the freshman's fault. Kearney has been thrown into a more prominent role late this season after Branden Dawson, their athletic wing, tore his ACL in the final game of the regular season. Kearney hasn't produced strongly, though to be fair, it has not been his primary task, instead putting his focus on the defensive end of the floor. 

He averages only 1.2 points and .9 rebounds a game. 

Not a blue-chipper out of high school (a tween 3/4 star recuruit), the wire-thin Kearney has struggled to shake the label of being a "soft" player. He came to Michigan State with a reputation of a slasher, but hasn't really lived up to that billing. The most shot-attempts he had in a game this season was four against Iowa in the Big 10 tourney.

For me though, none of the stats matter as much as his theatrics on the bench during the Saint Louis game. He was phantom-punching the air, shouting into his jersey, almost in tears, having to be calmed by Coach and teammate alike.

It looked like the consummate "freshman not mentally ready for The Moment moment". I can't imagine a bigger contrast or better matchup for Kyle Kuric on the perimeter, the wily veteran with natural Xanax coursing through his veins.

They are few and far between, so the Cards need to exploit the mismatches available to them. Brandan Kearney appears to be one, both mentally and physically. I hope Kyle Kuric is aware.

Quote of the Day

I think he's the best player in the country. Is he the best potential player in the country? No, I take the kid probably from Kentucky (Anthony Davis). But if I had to take a kid right now to win a national championship, I'd take Draymond Green.

-Rick Majerus, on the Michigan State standout

Five favorite moments from Saturday (not including bunny ears)

5. Gorgui's jumper. Like I said after the Davidson victory, my biggest fear for these games is falling behind early in the first frenetic minutes. Gorgui got the Cards on the board first with a difficult jump shot from the wing, the kind that if he works on over the summer, he'll return as one of the premier big men in the country (if he is not already).

He would only score four more points in the game, but as we've all seen, Gorgui Monster doesn't need to score in order to dominate. Dieng was aggressive all night, with 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 assists and 2 steals. But the confidence to take that difficult opening shot says a lot about the way Gorgui is playing the game right now. It got us off to a quick start, and his teammates responded from there.

4. Wayne Blackshear from 2:15 to 1:18 left in the first half. Blackshear only played 8 minutes, none better than this stretch in which he hit a long jumper, logged 2 rebounds (one offensive) and a steal. Pitino was not kidding when he said he still intends WB to play a role this season, and Blackshear is showing that he isn't scared to make his impact felt when his number is called.

3. Russ Smith's blown dunk. Not funny at the time, I grant you that, but his line about "having lotion on his hands" will certainly be remembered for a long time. A lesser player may have been rattled by such a blunder, but Russ plays with no conscience and no memory. He would score 8 more clutch points from that moment on. It does bring up a sticky issue for our pesky but diminutive backcourt. Both he and Siva can dunk, we all know that, though sometimes it really might not be worth it. Layups count just the same.

2. Chane Behanan layup with 3:41 remaining. In my opinion the second most important bucket of the game put the Cards back up 5 as the clock ticked down and New Mexico surging. The assist from Siva was terrific, but I really marvel at Chane's improved finishing ability around the basket. Speaking of layups and dunks, Behanan seems to be learning when to sky from a jam and when to resort to crafty moves to get his shot off amidst the taller post players. 5-7 from the field? Pinch me. He's peaking at the right time and taking his team along with him.

1. Siva to Gorgui, slamming us home. I thought it as soon as it happened, it was like a replay of the final possession against Syracuse that went awry. This time, this Peyton Siva, the one who uses his speed while under control took to the lane with a purpose, opting not for a high-degree of difficulty wraparound, instead using a jump-stop move to deliver a feather soft pass to his streaking center. Gorgui, likewise, displayed great focus securing the pass and soaring for the rim, never leaving room for doubt.

We all spend countless hours of analysis breaking down strategies, what the team needs to do or not do, what adjustments Pitino must make. That has its place and it's a hell of a lot of fun, but sometimes the only difference in outcomes is between making a play or not. Game of inches, etc. etc.

The defensive intensity from these Cardinals has been a constant this season. The difference in this six-game winning streak is that Louisville is displaying greater focus on the other end. We don't have to set the nets on fire, but the Cards make just enough of their opportunities on offense. These were five big ones.

Just stop it

I didn't get to catch the Early Birds radio show with Drew Deener this morning, but I've been getting lots of texts and tweets about the segment when Deener opened the phone lines for Cardinal fans to call in to offer apologies to Rick Pitino.

Can we please just stop with this garbage? Deener is an unabashed and unquestioning supporter of Coach Pitino, which is fine, good on ya, mate. What I cannot figure is why he feels the need to drive a wedge between fans during a time when we should all be sharing the same unbridled joy and optimism.

For one, I don't really believe anyone that claims to never have had a moment of doubt, not one ounce of concern with the way the Cardinals finished the regular season. But if he maintains that he never once wavered, that's fine, but for crying out loud, does that also necessitate leveling judgment on those that do experience the normal vacillating emotions that come with being a fan?

I know Pitino is a lightning-rod figure, it comes with the territory. And I don't think Louisville fans are inherently divisive and squabbly. It's just segments like these on the Early Birds that create rancor where none needs to exist. And to me, frankly, that's myopic and petty.

But rather than calling on everyone to apologize, how about we just agree to cut it out and savor the ride. Sound good? Good. Go Cards.

Toasts of the town after New Mexico

The story of Rick & Russ is about to hit the prime-time, national media this week. The dynamic between the madcap ball of energy that is Russ Smith and his old coach that he drives crazy is too delicious to ignore. No one thought this would be the story-line heading into the Sweet 16, and yet there doesn't seem a more perfect relationship to symbolize this topsy turvy season.

Michigan State it is

The rematch is on. When our region was announced, the first thing to jump out to me was the prospect of facing #1 seed Michigan State. This time, the roles would be reversed. I dared not speak its name, of course, for fear of jinxing the Cards in two tough victories that first had to be secured. But the prospect hung in the air.

Now it's come to fruition, as the Michigan State Spartans just knocked off a spirited St. Louis team to advance to the Sweet 16, setting a Thursday date with the Cardinals.

Since that buzzer sounded in 2009, ending the run of "the team", the one that many believed presented Rick Pitino with his greatest chance of hanging a banner at the University of Louisville, the Cardinal faithful have endured what seems like a decade's worth of drama.

No need to recite the litany, no doubt the national media will pick up on similar themes and sing them loudly in the coming days. But I fully believe in the magic of March complete with omens and superstitions. A confluence of Fates and sheer will from this team has aligned us an opportunity to expel three years of angst is one fell swoop.

Do these Cardinals have that magic?

Beat Michigan State.

Pitino's Photobombino

(H/t SBnation)

HOW SWEET IT IS! LOUISVILLE BOUND FOR SWEET 16

Our opening weekend demons have been exorcised. The Cards are headed for the Sweet 16.

Louisville battled to victory tonight, overcoming an occasionally sluggish offensive performance to defeat New Mexico 59-56 on the strength of stellar defense and -- how I loved it, but only because it's over -- clutch play down the most nail-biting stretch of the year. 

When I say "occasionally sluggish offensive," I mean that they blew multiple good looks throughout. But let's give credit where it's due -- the Cards shot 46 percent overall and 45 percent from beyond the arc. Our offense is finally producing good looks. It's peaking at exactly the right time (but our guys have to hit those shots!)

That said, the Cards won with their defense as has become their MO. Louisville limited New Mexico to 39 percent shooting, 21 percent from three point land. 9 Louisville steals, 5 Louisville blocks. This Cardinal defense continues to intimidate; I would put its ferociousness against any team in the country.

The Cards also won with clutch play, really again from the whole cast. As has become his patent, Russ Smith delivered energy, output, and instant offense. He frustrated occasionally, blowing a dunk and shooting wild at times. But without his 17 points and 3 steals, we lose this game... how many times have we said that this year?At least once more.

Peyton Siva had less gaudy numbers than in weeks past, which was inevitable as teams settle on neutralizing him no matter what cost. But Peyton came through at the end, darting to the basket and finding Gorgui for the dunk that finally put the Lobos away (Mr. Red tweeted that the dish to Gorgui was the Universe correcting itself from Peyton's failed handoff at the end of the last Syracuse game). When he turns on those jets, he can't be contained, he can't be caught. His late-season resurgence continues to marvel. Elsewhere, Kyle and Chane each delivered 10 huge points. Chris Smith had 8 and hit a crucial three late in the game. Even have to give props to Wayne Blackshear for hitting a difficult floater while sailing to his left at a key moment in the second half. 

But for my money, player of the game honors go to Gorgui Dieng. His numbers -- 6 points, 10 rebounds -- hardly tell the story. Gorgui seemed our only man able to end a New Mexico possession with critical rebounds -- and once the rebound was pulled down, his clearouts were authoritative, sending all Lobos racing back down the court. Underneath the basket, Gorgui altered shot after shot. He scooped up loose balls, at one point snagging the loose ball, dribbling down court and pinpointing a perfect pass to Kyle in the corner -- if the King could have nailed down that three, the game would have turned on that moment alone.

Gorgui is unrecognizable from the skinny galloping soccer player who started here a year and a half ago. He's put on muscle, he's continues to develop NBA-level skills, he's the heart and soul of our defense -- one of the best in the land.

I'm just so damn proud of them all.

Stats here.

Excellent victory; exciting days ahead. Unless Saint Louis pulls off a major upset tomorrow, next Thursday we will face Tom Izzo and Michigan State, who in 2009 knocked out of the tourney the best Louisville team of the Pitino era. That of course kicked off an awful stretch of scandal and first round tournament exits that have plagued the program since, until the events of these past two incredible weeks finally seemed to put them away. It is true that Michigan State beat our one-seeded team three years ago. 

It's time to return the favor. 

Congrats Coach Pitino and the Louisville Cardinals.

GO CARDS!!!