Renewing a rival

Mike Davis is blunt, candid and to-the-point. \nSimply put, he'd rather not play Louisville Saturday for a pair of reasons: Playing a non-conference opponent in the middle of a Big Ten title hunt might provide a distraction, and Louisville's style of play is something foreign to IU and the Big Ten. \nDistraction or not, Davis will see the up-tempo, full-court Cardinals 1 p.m. Saturday in Assembly Hall. The game marks the first time since the 1972-1973 season IU is playing a non-conference game during the Big Ten season. In 1973, IU beat Miami (Ohio) after one Big Ten game. \nIt is also Louisville's first trip to Bloomington since Dec. 23, 1986. IU and Louisville last met in 1993, when IU won 82-69 in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16. \nPitino has brought a team to Assembly Hall only once, when his Kentucky Wildcats fell to IU 87-84 Dec. 18, 1990.\nHis second trip has his counterpart coach showing concern.\n"I really don't want to play Louisville to tell you the truth, because of how they play," Davis said. "They press all over the court for 40 minutes. We're in a situation where we're in a Big Ten hunt for a championship. To play them during our conference is going to be tough."\nAfter Ohio State's loss at Wisconsin Wednesday, IU pulled into a tie for first-place with the Buckeyes. The Hoosiers don't play another Big Ten game until Wednesday against Wisconsin. \nBut Saturday's high-profile contest could help season IU (15-8, 8-2 Big Ten) for the NCAA Tournament. No Big Ten team poses the type of threats Louisville (13-8, 4-6, C-USA) does. The Cardinals rely on outside shooting and high-pressure play. \nLouisville, who beat Ohio State earlier this season, one-upped IU's wild long-range shooting antics. Louisville hit a school -- and Conference USA -- record 19 three-pointers in a win over South Florida Feb. 1, and they attempt 25 three-pointers per game. IU fires up nearly 19 per contest. \n"They have a lot of talent," Davis said. "I don't know why people say they don't have any talent. They have good athletes, speed and quickness. Their guys are strong."\nShooting guard Reece Gaines grabs the spotlight. The 6-foot-6 junior averages 21.1 points per game and scored 37 points -- on 6 of 11 three pointers -- Wednesday in Louisville's 67-64 surprise loss to St. Louis. \nBesides Gaines, the Cardinals have three players -- Gaines, junior Erik Brown and sophomore Luke Whitehead -- who average double digits. \nThe lack of a supporting cast has irritated Pitino. \n"Reece played spectacularly," he said of Gaines' 37-point performance against St. Louis. "He took some bad shots at the end, but that was because his teammates did not play up to his level."\nGaines had help in the three-point binge against South Florida. Both he and Jeffersonville, Ind., native Bryant Northern hit seven three-pointers each. IU has three players -- senior Dane Fife and juniors Kyle Hornsby and Tom Coverdale -- with 40 or more three pointers. \nFor IU, which hasn't played a Pitino-coached team since 1996, Saturday will involve a little guess-work. \n"None of us really know much about them," said Coverdale, IU's second-leading scorer. "But, I'd rather play a non-conference game than have to sit out for a whole week." \nIU hasn't had any hardships since starting Big Ten play, where it has ripped off eight wins in 10 tries.\n"If I had it my way, I would play it in December," Davis said. "But then again, it could really help us. Our main concern is the Big Ten. We'll come in and compete Saturday and definitely try to win the game. But if we lose, it's not life or death"