1. Cardinals have to be physical down low
Second-chance points are one of the biggest factors that can decide a game. A defense could play the best defense imaginable on a possession, but it could all be for nothing if the offense gets another chance. Louisville allows 8.5 opponent offensive rebounds per game, ranking them 135th in the nation. Although this isn’t horrible, in a situation where every game is win-or-go-home, the Cardinals can’t afford to let teams stay in games.Â
In Louisville’s last loss to Miami, the Cardinals allowed the Hurricanes to grab 11 offensive rebounds. This has also been a problem in Louisville’s biggest games of the year, as in the Cardinals' second game against Duke, the Blue Devils had 15 offensive rebounds.Â
In March, any game the Cardinals play could come down to one possession. Louisville can’t take the risk of being put in a bad spot because of poor rebounding.