2008–09 Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 Basketball 2008–09 Louisville Cardinals Louisville Cardinals wordmark.svg 250 Big East Big East 5 1 31–6 16–2 Rick Pitino 8th Steve Masiello Walter McCarty Richard Pitino Freedom Hall Big East Regular Season ChampionsBig East tournament champions NCAA tournament Elite Eight The 2008–09 Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team represented the University of Louisville during the 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, Louisville's 95th season of intercollegiate competition. The Cardinals competed in the Big East Conference and were coached by Rick Pitino, who was in his eighth season. The team played its home games at Freedom Hall. The Cardinals finished the season 31–6, 16–2 and were regular season Big East Champions (their 1st). They defeated Syracuse 76–66 to win the 2009 Big East men's basketball tournament (their 1st). They received an automatic bid to the 2009 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, earning the overall #1 seed and were placed in the Midwest Region. They were upset by #2 seed Michigan State in the Midwest Regional final, 64–52. Preseason After an elite eight appearance in the 2008 tournament, Louisville entered the 2008–09 season ranked third in both the AP and Coaches polls in part due to a strong recruiting class. The incoming freshman class is ranked fifth overall by Scouts.com,http://scouthoops.scout.com/2/701516.html Scout.com 2008 Top 25 Recruiting Classes 2008-11-22 https://web.archive.org/web/20081202131725/http://scouthoops.scout.com/2/701516.html 2 December 2008 dead dmy-all led by number one ranked center Samardo Samuels. Louisville has been picked by many analysts to be a potential Final Four contender, including Sports Illustratedhttp://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/ncaa/11/10/roundtable/index.html https://web.archive.org/web/20110622092915/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/ncaa/11/10/roundtable/index.html dead June 22, 2011 SI.com writers discuss SI's official preseason Top 20 2008-11-22 November 10, 2008 CNN and Dick Vitale.http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3711542 Dick Vitale's Final Four Predictions 2008-11-22 July 2024 medicmedic Regular season Despite the #3 preseason ranking, Louisville struggled in the non-conference losing to three unranked opponents. After beating Kentucky on an Edgar Sosa buzzer-beating three pointer,http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=290040097 Kentucky vs. Louisville – Recap 2009-01-17 ESPN https://web.archive.org/web/20090208164846/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=290040097 8 February 2009 dead Louisville entered Big East play ranked #21. After beating South Florida easily, Louisville beat three straight ranked teams in close games: #17 Villanova,http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=290100222 Louisville vs. Villanova – Recap 2009-01-17 ESPN https://web.archive.org/web/20090218100508/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=290100222 18 February 2009 dead #12 Notre Dame in overtime,http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=290120097 Notre Dame vs. Louisville – Recap 2009-01-17 ESPN https://web.archive.org/web/20090122011740/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=290120097 22 January 2009 dead and previously unbeaten #1 Pittsburgh.http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=290170097 Pittsburgh vs. Louisville – Recap 2009-01-17 ESPN https://web.archive.org/web/20090121161752/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=290170097 21 January 2009 dead Louisville would continue strong play, going undefeated in January and winning its first eight conference games before losing to #1 Connecticut on February 2. After beating St. John's, Louisville lost by their most lopsided margin since joining the Big East, a 33-point drubbing by Notre Dame. After that game, Louisville won its final seven regular season games to win the school's first ever regular season Big East championship. Big East tournament By virtue of their outright regular-season title, Louisville received a double-bye in the Big East tournament and played their first game in the tournament quarterfinals. In the tournament, Louisville beat Providence 73–55 in the quarterfinals and #10 Villanova 69–55 in the semifinals to advance to the school's first ever Big East tournament championship game in four seasons in the conference.http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=290720097 Villanova vs. Louisville recap 2009-03-13 ESPN https://web.archive.org/web/20090317173148/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=290720097 17 March 2009 dead In the finals, Louisville won its first Big East tournament Championship, defeating #18 Syracuse 76–66. Due to losses in the early conference tournament rounds by several teams above them, the Cardinals finished #1 in the final regular season AP and coaches' polls—the first time in school history they have been ranked #1 in either poll. NCAA tournament Louisville was awarded the top seed in the NCAA tournament Midwest Region, as well as the overall #1 seed in the tournament. This is Louisville's second ever 1-seed. The Cardinals beat Morehead St. and Siena in the first two tournament rounds, advancing to face Arizona in the Sweet 16 on March 27. After beating Arizona by 39 points, Louisville faced Michigan St. in the Elite Eight and lost 64–52. Roster Namehttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/lou/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/0809-preseason-info.pdf 2008–09 Louisville Cardinals Media Guide 2008-11-22 2011-05-23 https://web.archive.org/web/20110523101151/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/lou/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/0809-preseason-info.pdf dead # Position Height Weight Year Home Town Chris Brickley 11 Guard 6–4 175 Junior Manchester, NH Earl Clark 5 Forward 6–9 220 Junior Plainfield, NJ Reginald Delk 12 Guard 6–4 175 Junior Jackson, TN George Goode 22 Guard 6–8 205 Freshman Raytown, MO Terrence Jennings 23 Forward 6–10 225 Freshman Sacramento, CA Preston Knowles 2 Guard 6–1 170 Sophomore Winchester, KY Kyle Kuric 14 Guard 6–4 175 Freshman Evansville, IN Andre McGee 33 Guard 5–10 180 Senior Moreno Valley, CA Samardo Samuels 24 Forward 6–9 240 Freshman Trelawny, Jamaica Will Scott 20 Guard 6–3 185 Senior New York, NY Jerry Smith 34 Guard 6–1 200 Junior Wauwatosa, WI Edgar Sosa 10 Guard 6–1 200 Junior New York, NY Lee Steiden 25 Forward 6–4 185 Sophomore Louisville, KY Jared Swopshire 21 Forward 6–7 215 Freshman St. Louis, MO Terrence Williams 1 Forward 6–6 215 Senior Seattle, WA Schedule yes |- !colspan=12 style=Louisville Cardinals|Exhibition games November 1 5:30 pm yes 3 2008 Georgetown Tigers Georgetown (KY) Freedom Hall Louisville, KY exhibition WHAS 74–67 17,521 0–0 November 8 8:00 pm yes yes 3 2008 Northern Kentucky Norse Northern Kentucky The Bank of Kentucky Center Highland Heights, KY exhibition WHAS 84–69 8,408 0–0 |- !colspan=12 style=Louisville Cardinals|Non-conference games November 22 5:30 pm yes 3 Morehead State Freedom Hall Louisville, KY Billy Minardi Classic ESPN360/WHAS 102–32 19,493 1–0 November 23 4:00 pm yes 3 2008 South Alabama Jaguars South Alabama Freedom Hall Louisville, KY Billy Minardi Classic ESPN360 81–54 19,241 2–0 November 30 3:00 pm yes yes 3 Western Kentucky Sommet Center Nashville, TN FCS/WHAS 54–68 8,193 2–1 December 6 2:00 pm yes 11 2008 Indiana State Sycamores Indiana State Freedom Hall Louisville, KY Marques Maybin Classic WHAS 83–43 18,924 3–1 December 7 4:00 pm yes 11 Ohio Freedom Hall Louisville, KY Marques Maybin Classic ESPN Full Court/WHAS 91–56 19,083 4–1 December 8 7:00 pm yes 9 2008 none Lamar Cardinals Lamar Freedom Hall Louisville, KY Marques Maybin Classic ESPN Full Court/WHAS 78–56 19,058 5–1 December 13 1:00 pm yes 9 2008 none Austin Peay Governors Austin Peay Freedom Hall Louisville, KY ESPN Full Court/WHAS 94–75 19,288 6–1 December 18 9:00 pm yes yes 9 Mississippi US Bank Arena Cincinnati, OH SEC/Big East Invitational ESPN 77–68 5,922 7–1 December 20 2:00 pm yes yes 9 Minnesota University of Phoenix Stadium Glendale, AZ 2008 Stadium Shootout FSN 64–70 10,431 7–2 December 27 4:00 pm yes 19 2008 UAB Blazers UAB Freedom Hall Louisville, KY ESPN2 82–62 19,627 8–2 December 31 6:00 pm yes 18 2008 none UNLV Runnin' Rebels UNLV Freedom Hall Louisville, KY ESPN2 55–56 19,314 8–3 January 4 4:30 pm yes 18 Kentucky Freedom Hall Louisville, KY Battle for the Bluegrass CBS 74–71 20,078 9–3 |- !colspan=12 style=Louisville Cardinals| Big East regular season January 7 7:00 pm yes 23 South Florida USF Sun Dome Tampa, FL ESPN2 71–57 4,827 10–3 1–0 January 10 12:00 pm yes 23 Villanova 17 Wachovia Center Philadelphia, PA ESPN 61–60 17,117 11–3 2–0 January 12 7:00 pm 20 Notre Dame 12 Freedom Hall Louisville, KY ESPN 87–73 OT 19,865 12–3 3–0 January 17 6:00 pm 20 Pittsburgh 1 Freedom Hall Louisville, KY ESPN 69–63 20,082 13–3 4–0 January 21 7:00 pm yes 9 Rutgers Rutgers Athletic Center Piscataway, NJ ESPNU 78–59 5,178 14–3 5–0 January 25 12:00 pm yes 9 Syracuse 8 Carrier Dome Syracuse, NY Big East Network/ESPN Full Court/WHAS 67–57 25,721 15–3 6–0 January 28 7:00 pm 7 South Florida Freedom Hall Louisville, KY Big East Network/ESPN Full Court/WHAS 80–54 17,184 16–3 7–0 January 31 12:00 pm 7 West Virginia Freedom Hall Louisville, KY Big East Network/ESPN Full Court/WHAS 69–63 19,416 17–3 8–0 February 2 7:00 pm 5 Connecticut 1 Freedom Hall Louisville, KY ESPN 51–68 20,069 17–4 8–1 February 8 1:30 pm yes 5 St. John's Madison Square Garden New York, NY Big East Network/ESPN Full Court/WHAS 60–47 6,128 18–4 9–1 February 12 7:00 pm yes 5 Notre Dame Edmund P. Joyce Center Notre Dame, IN ESPN 57–90 11,418 18–5 9–2 February 15 4:00 pm 5 2008 DePaul Blue Demons DePaul Freedom Hall Louisville, KY ESPNU 99–54 19,332 19–5 10–2 February 18 7:30 pm 7 Providence Freedom Hall Louisville, KY ESPN2 94–76 19,484 20–5 11–2 February 21 2:00 pm yes 7 Cincinnati Fifth Third Arena Cincinnati, OH Big East Network/ESPN Full Court/WHAS 72–63 12,350 21–5 12–2 February 23 7:00 pm yes 6 Georgetown Verizon Center Washington, DC ESPN 76–58 12,653 22–5 13–2 March 1 12:00 pm 6 Marquette 8 Freedom Hall Louisville, KY CBS 62–58 20,079 23–5 14–2 March 4 7:00 pm 6 2008 Seton Hall Pirates Seton Hall Freedom Hall Louisville, KY Big East Network/ESPN Full Court/WHAS 95–78 19,535 24–5 15–2 March 7 9:00 pm yes 6 West Virginia WVU Coliseum Morgantown, WV ESPN College GameDay ESPN 62–59 13,089 25–5 16–2 |- !colspan=12 style=Louisville Cardinals| Big East tournament March 12 12:00 pm yes 5 Providence Madison Square Garden New York, NY Quarterfinals ESPN 73–55 19,375 26–5 March 13 7:00 pm yes 5 Villanova 10 Madison Square Garden New York, NY Semifinals ESPN 69–55 19,375 27–5 March 14 9:00 pm yes 5 Syracuse 18 Madison Square Garden New York, NY Final ESPN 76–66 19,375 28–5 |- !colspan=12 style=Louisville Cardinals| NCAA tournament March 20 7:10 pm yes yes 1-M Morehead State 16-M University of Dayton Arena Dayton, OH First Round CBS 74–54 12,499 29–5 March 22 5:20 pm yes yes 1-M Siena 9-M University of Dayton Arena Dayton, OH Second Round CBS 79–72 12,596 30–5 March 27 7:07 pm yes yes 1-M Arizona 12-M Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis, IN Sweet Sixteen CBS 103–64 33,780 31–5 March 29 2:20 pm yes yes 1-M Michigan State 2-M Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis, IN Elite Eight CBS 52–64 36,084 31–6 AP Poll Eastern Time † NCAA Tournament ranks are seeds in the region (E=East, M=Midwest, S=South, W=West) Rankings 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings AP 0 18 3 3 3 11 9 9 19 18 24 20 9 7 5 5 7 6 6 5 (1) 1 (45) Coaches 0 19 3 3 3 11 10 9 19 18 т 21 20 12 7 7 7 7 6 6 5 1 (14) 5 References Louisville Cardinals Category:Louisville Cardinals men's basketball seasons Louisville Louisville Cardinals men's basketball, 2008-09 Louisville Cardinals men's basketball Category:2008 in Louisville, Kentucky Category:2009 in Louisville, Kentucky