Louisville basketball faces critical challenge at Pittsburgh

Three players to watch

Xavier Johnson

Trey McGowens is Pitt’s leading scorer, but Xavier Johnson may be the team’s most versatile player.

When the Cards met the Panthers in December, Johnson was the only effective scorer. He went 6-10, scored 15 points, and caused some real problems for the Louisville defense.

Johnson’s size and athleticism matched up well with guards Darius Perry and Ryan McMahon, and their three-headed monster at guard will once again try to slow the Louisville backcourt on Tuesday.

Steven Enoch

Louisville’s all-conference level center has been playing some of the best basketball of his career in his redshirt senior season.

However, over Louisville’s last two games, Enoch is 5-for-20 from the field, and his errant shots have effected the way the Cardinals have had to run their offense.

Enoch has been one of the go-to guys down the stretch for Louisville, and he has produced far more often than not as he transforms into a true post player.

If Louisville wants to bust out of its current streak of mid-game slumps, Enoch improving his field goal percentage could help right the ship.

David Johnson

Louisville’s guard play has been the biggest question mark all season for the Cards, but Johnson has been quietly emerging as a consistent presence on both sides of the ball for the Cardinals.

Over the last six games, Johnson has played more than twelve minutes on five occasions after seeing limited time returning from an injury in November. His insertion into the lineup has yet to show up in a major way on the stat sheet, but as his comfort in Mack’s system grows so does his confidence all over the floor.

In Louisville’s last game at Notre Dame, Johnson got to the rim smoothly and efficiently and was a difference-maker with his length on defense.

As the Cards continue to search for the right pieces and determine the right rotation of guards to roll out, Johnson is trending upward.