Consider what Louisville did the last three days.
- The Cardinals improved to 8-0 with Saturday’s 77-69 over previously unbeaten UNLV. It’s their best start during Rick Pitino’s tenure.
- Sunday saw Rodney Purvis commit to Louisville, ranked as the No. 8 overall player in the class of 2012.
- On Monday, Louisville returned to the coaches’ poll (at 21) and rose to No. 20 in the AP poll.
Not too shabby. Guess we can forget about this being a rebuilding season, right Rick? Louisville’s coach said as much after the UNLV win, but it’s starting to sink in that these Cardinals can play. They’re not perfect – their outside shooting is suspect and they’re a little soft on the boards – but they’ll certainly be worth watching during this season’s Big East race.
Then there’s Purvis.
The 6-3 North Carolina product has earned comparisons to John Wall, but that’s mostly because of his size and that he hails from Raleigh. He’s not Wall, but he’s also a potent point guard who’s excited about suiting up for the Cardinals.
So let’s see. The 2010-11 season’s turning out to be OK, 2011-12 will welcome a loaded freshman class and Purvis arrives in 2012-13. Forget the last three days. The next three springs could be even better for Louisville.
Want more? I’m also on Twitter @BeyndArcMMiller.