At Media Day before the season I noticed that still rehabbing Kasean Pryor’s hair was its natural color. Brownish. At least, not blonde. I asked him if he was going to go to the peroxide when he was back to playing? “Maybe.” “It might be a biblical thing,” I suggested, “you know, Samson and his […]
At Media Day before the season I noticed that still rehabbing Kasean Pryor’s hair was its natural color. Brownish. At least, not blonde.
I asked him if he was going to go to the peroxide when he was back to playing?
“Maybe.”
“It might be a biblical thing,” I suggested, “you know, Samson and his strength sort of deal.”
He liked the idea.
Then, when he returned, his hair was not blonde.
His game was iffy at best. A few good moments. Most, not.
The first thing I noticed when the team was warming up before the 26 point taming of the Tigers (99-73) . . .
. . . Kasean Pryor is not a non blonde again.
To significant effect.
Veni. Vidi. Vici.
He entered the “fray” with 6:51 left in the first, the Cards ahead by ten at 32-22.
After a Memphis State deuce, U of L slipped into the Pryor Zone.
The Cardinals scored on five straight possessions over the next 2:59.
The Cardinals made threes on those five straight possessions.
Pryor. Nothing but net.
Adrian Wooley. triple.
Pryor tickled the twine for three.
Wooley again from beyond the arc.
Followed by Pryor’s last crowd pleaser of the breakaway/ breakout.
47 Louisville, 28 State.
During the ensuing last media stoppage of the half, the Cardinals had 13 assists on their 15 FGs (in 23 attempts) and were 11/19 from Treytown.
Pryor had one more scintillating segment in the 2d.
A steal and two at the stripe.
Followed by a great weakside blocked shot, for which he was feloniously whistled for a foul.
Welcome back, Kasean Pryor.
* * * * *
Louisville was up twenty at the break, led by Adrian Wooley with a dozen on 4/4 shooting, all from, as they say, downtown. He also led U of L at +19.
In case eerily underwhelming Memphis State was under some delusion they might make a run after intermission, the heart and soul of the Cardinals J’Vonne Hadley had other ideas.
Louisville scored on four of its first five offensive trips. A deuce by Mikel Brown. And, count ’em with me, one two three longballs from Hadley.
The Cards led by 27 after that schoo away.
State pulled “within” 20 at some point. But Louisville scored the next six.
From that point on, the game was boring, frankly.
Sometime late, Smarts texted me, noting how Penny Hardaway appeared like he was barely interested,
“Neither am I at this point,” I answered, “given how sloppy the game is.”
* * * * *
24 assists on 30 makes.
18/35 long range. 51%.
21/25 at the line.
As always, Khani Rooths came to play off the bench. 10 points, and a team leading 8 rebounds in 18 minutes.
* * * * *
Troubling, with Tennessee days away.
Mikel Brown, after a tumble in the 1st, wore a back brace whenever he wasn’t in the game.
Long and active (if not very good) Memphis State doubled the Cardinals on the offensive glass. 16-8. And were +9 on 2d chance points.
The Tigers were +16 in the paint, 40-24.
U of L’s stat crew is the best in the biz. That said, the Cards officially only had 13 turnovers. Seemed to me they had that many in the second half.
Sananda Fru, improving as he is game to game, needs to learn to keep the ball high.
* * * * *
Listen to me, will ya?
Shame on me, really.
Goin’ all ho hum with a 99-73 W over Memphis State.
— c d kaplan
Category: General Sports
