For the second consecutive season, the Louisville Cardinals are the Big East Tournament champions. They’ve done so with hard-nosed defense, Hall of Fame coaching and veteran leadership.
So what do you need to know about this defensive juggernaut?
1. Louisville’s elite defense is currently holding opponents to 58.0 points per game on a slash line of .388/.312/.648. This comes in spite of the fact that center and defensive anchor Gorgui Dieng missed seven games due to injury.
2. Louisville ranks second in the nation in turnovers forced. The Cardinals are creating 18.7 opponent turnovers per game and average 10.7 steals per contest, which is good for another rank of second in the nation.
3. Louisville has held seven opponents to less than 50 points in one game. They’ve held 22 of 34 opponents below 60 points.
4. Peyton Siva is a legitimate star at point guard. The Seattle, Washington point guard is battle tested and unafraid to play physical ball. Even at 6’0″ and 185 pound, Siva is a real difference maker due to his ability to penetrate and find shooters along the perimeter or step back for a jumper of his own. Siva is also an effective pick-and-roll facilitator and one heck of a defender.
5. For those who doubt the Louisville Cardinals’ status as elite, note that all five of their losses have come by single-digits. In fact, three of their losses have come by three points or fewer. As for their victories, only six of those have come by single-digits.
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NCAA Tournament Teams Five Facts Index