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5 teams we’d like to see on Louisville basketball’s schedule in 2019-2020

By Jacob Lane

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 10: Peyton Siva #3 of the Louisville Cardinals draws contact against Justin Jackson #5 and Dion Dixon #3 of the Cincinnati Bearcats during the finals of the Big East Men's Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden at Madison Square Garden on March 10, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 10: Peyton Siva #3 of the Louisville Cardinals draws contact against Justin Jackson #5 and Dion Dixon #3 of the Cincinnati Bearcats during the finals of the Big East Men's Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden at Madison Square Garden on March 10, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images) /
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LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – JANUARY 21: Luke Whitehead #24 of the University of Louisville Cardinals dribbles the ball towards the Louisville basket after a steal against the Cincinnati Bearcats on January 21, 2004 at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – JANUARY 21: Luke Whitehead #24 of the University of Louisville Cardinals dribbles the ball towards the Louisville basket after a steal against the Cincinnati Bearcats on January 21, 2004 at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Cincinnati

Out is long-time Cincinnati head coach and former Louisville assistant Mick Cronin who left to take the job that no one wanted at UCLA. In is John Brannen, the former Northern Kentucky head coach who guided the program through the transition from D2 to D1 and led them to their first two NCAA tournaments berths in school history.

Chris Mack and the Cincinnati program have a long history, one that holds no love lost. Xavier and Cincinnati played in the annual “Crosstown Shootout,” a game that had plenty of notable moments.

Whether it was Mack and Cronin exchanging barbs post-game after some sort of skirmish between the Cincinnati coach and JP Macura of Xavier, or the players getting into an all-out street fight mid-game, the rivalry delivered at a high-level nearly every season.

Louisville is also no stranger when it comes to the Cincinnati program. The two schools know each other extremely well after going head-to-head annually during their days in the Metro Conference, C-USA, and the Big East, with both programs having equal amounts of success. With Louisville leaving the AAC greener pastures in the ACC, their last matchup came in 2014 with the Cards winning on an incredible Russ Smith buzzer beater.

With Louisville’s own rivalry against Cincinnati, Mack’s familiarity with the program, and his friendship with new head coach John Brannen, now is the perfect time to bring back the rivalry.

Cincinnati will enter a rebuilding of sorts after appearing in the NCAA Tournament each of the last nine seasons under Cronin. With what we saw from Brannen at NKU, and his familiarity with the Ohio and Kentucky recruiting landscape, it won’t be long before they are competitive at a high level once again.

For me, this is the number one team I’d like to see Mack and Vince Tyra add back to the basketball schedule each and every year.

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