University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino says leading scorer Kyle Kuric won’t play tomorrow against DePaul after suffering a high ankle sprain in practice.The Cardinals have lost four of their last five games, including a 31 point blowout Tuesday night at Providence.Pitino says he understands fans’ frustration with the team’s struggles, but the Cards need their support to recover from a 1 and 3 start in Big East Conference play.U of L has had seven players miss at least one game with health or eligibility issues this season.Pitino bristled at suggestions raised in aCourier-Journal article that his players are feeling the effects of overwork in practice, saying he doesn’t push his players any harder than other coaches."If you went to Marquette’s practice, you’d see hard work at its best. If you go up the street to Indiana you’d see hard work at its best. In 1987 we worked, and we worked and we worked and we worked, and we loved it," he said.Pitino’s 1987 Providence team reached the NCAA tournament Final Four. The NCAA has since imposed 20-hour per week limit on practice.U of L and DePaul will square off at the KFC Yum Center tomorrow at 4pm.Kentucky returns to action tomorrow at noon against Tennessee. Indiana visits Ohio State Sunday.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.