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Louisville Basketball: 1-on-1 With a Former Chris Mack Coached Star

By Jacob Lane

NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 16: J.P. Macura #55 of the Xavier Musketeers talks with head coach Chris Mack against the Texas Southern Tigers during the game in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 16, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 16: J.P. Macura #55 of the Xavier Musketeers talks with head coach Chris Mack against the Texas Southern Tigers during the game in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 16, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /
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You said earlier you committed to Xavier to play in the tournament, something you did in all four years you were at Xavier. When your team got to the Big Dance did Chris Mack change at all as a Coach?

J.P. Macura: When we got to the tournament he didn’t change one bit. He was the same coach throughout the whole year. You knew exactly what you were going to get with him. Not too many coaches stay the same the whole year.

How do you think Coach Mack will do at Louisville?

J.P. Macura: I think he will do a great job at Louisville. Someone who is that invested into the team and wants to win at everything he does, doesn’t lose that many games. The talent and resources around him will only help him to become an even better coach.

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What do the Louisville guys have to do to be successful for him?

J.P. Macura: The Louisville guys need to buy into the system and play for one another if they want to win. They need to worry about just winning and not worry about how many points they individually score.


Reaction: One thing that was always talked about here in Louisville with former Head Coach Rick Pitino was how things were “different” when the team made it into the tournament. Yes, Rick was an amazing coach, one of the best of all time in March, but when you put that type of pressure on your team to succeed, sometimes it back fires. Players can tighten up, overthink making the right play, which can turn into what we saw happen against Michigan in 2016-17.

To hear that Mack doesn’t change a bit when March rolls out, will be a nice change of pace. As I touched on earlier, Mack took Xavier to new heights and much of that had to do with his success inside of March Madness. To get seven tournament wins over five years, including a trip to the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 at Xavier is beyond impressive, and it shows me that his players bought into everything he was selling.

Next. Cards Name 2018 Captains. dark

If Louisville can buy into Mack’s system, which at this point it seems like has happened at a faster pace than you might have expected, this team can be special. Yes they are young, yes they will lose games, but growth will take place and the confidence they have in their coach will help take them to the place they knew they could get when they committed to play at the University of Louisville.

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