Earl Clark News

They're back. Then again, they never really went away. Entering this college basketball season, most of the prognosticators and talking heads went out of their way to claim that the 16-team Big East was in a "rebuilding" mode.

Rick Pitino is arguably one of the most meticulous strategists in college basketball, bombarding his Louisville players with offensive sets.

That's what Louisville coach Rick Pitino says his team must take. Right now the Cardinals are taking them in a three-day, three-game series called the Hall of Fame Showcase at Freedom Hall.

The question of whether the Louisville Cardinals will replace Terrence Williams' and Earl Clark's production is looming large.

Rick Pitino is arguably one of the most meticulous strategists in college basketball, bombarding his Louisville players with offensive sets.

The Louisville Cardinals open their 2009-10 season tonight in St. Louis, taking on the Arkansas Razorbacks in what is being dubbed as the Hall of Fame Showcase.

Someone forgot to remind Memphis this wasn't the 2008 NCAA championship game against Kansas.

FAYETTEVILLE - Louisville likely will guard Rotnei Clarke in pregame closer tonight than Alcorn State guarded the Arkansas shooting guard during last Friday night's game.

Coming off a Big East regular season and tournament championship, as well as the No.

The game will have taken place after several highly touted games in their own respect, but let's face it.

When Peyton Siva, the prized recruit from Seattle, arrived at the University of Louisville, he ventured into the Yum! Center to acquaint himself with his new surroundings.

Old faces with new and expanded roles figure to play a big role in the successes or disappointments of this season.

At the College Basketball Roundtable each week, we ask each member of the college basketball coverage staff for his opinion about a topic in the sport.

On what otherwise might have been a smug, self-satisfied train ride back to Philadelphia after his team was picked to win this season's Big East Conference title, Villanova basketball Coach Jay Wright spoke to his players about toughness and leadership.

The Big East earned three No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament last season. This season, I don't believe there will be any.

Last week, the University of Louisville men's basketball team came from behind to put away the Tigers of Georgetown College, in their first exhibition game of the season.

Louisvillea s Peyton Siva, left, attempts to get the ball from Georgetowna s Johonne Hamilton during the second half Wednesday at Freedom Hall.

Rick Pitino can always count on his neighbors at Georgetown College to give him a good barometer of where his team is early in the year.

The meeting was running long, as tends to happen when Louisville coach Rick Pitino and his staff get together.

The Big East isn't such a beast this season. One year after it record-breaking season of NCAA men's basketball dominance, the mega-conference is just one of the guys.