Rick Pitino coached Providence to the NCAA Final Four in his second season on the job. At Kentucky, Pitino required four years to get there. Fans of the University of Louisville would be ecstatic if Pitino could find a happy medium and navigate a Final Four trip in his third season at Louisville.

Although the Cards won an NCAA Tournament game for the first time in six seasons last March, this program hasn't seen the Final Four since 1986.

So does Mr. Fix-It have something spectacular planned for this winter? Not so fast. "We're going to be rebuilding in some areas, and we're going to be better in some areas," Pitino said. "I think the fourth season [2004-05] is going to be the high point of the program so far."

In other words, after losing Reece Gaines, the team's do-everything guard, Pitino believes his program needs another year of experience and one more recruiting class to move into the nation's elite.

FRONTCOURT

Pitino believes he needs six quality frontcourt players to play his frantic style of play. He has four.

The coach will not know if senior forward Ellis Myles is available until November. Myles tore the patella tendon in his right knee against Marquette on Feb. 27 and likely will redshirt. In Myles' absence, Luke Whitehead developed into the team's best rebounder and inside scorer. Whitehead averaged a double-double in the Conference USA tournament after his father, Eddie, a former U of L player, sent him some clippings about another former undersized Cardinal inside player -- Wes Unseld.

Three players -- Kendall Dartez, Otis George and junior college transfer Nouha Diakite -- will split their time between playing center and backing up Whitehead. Dartez is the best athlete and only an outside shot away from being a terrific player. George excels in the full-court press, but must improve his rebounding and stop committing silly fouls. Diakite was considered one of the top junior college centers in the nation.

Louisville's best player figures to be Francisco Garcia, who will split his time between small forward and shooting guard. Garcia is a New Yorker who plays with charisma, smarts and playground toughness. He is the most instinctive passer on the team as well as a guy who seems to make important steals and blocks. He believes he can make every big shot.

Newcomer Nate Daniels, another junior college transfer, and Larry O'Bannon will handle the small forward spot when Garcia moves into the backcourt. Daniels, who signed with Fresno State out of high school, scores with slashing moves to the basket and the 3-pointer, a Pitino trademark.

BACKCOURT

A team that presses and runs transition needs a veteran running the show. Pitino doesn't have one now that Gaines is with the Orlando Magic. So he plans to turn the team over to freshman Brandon Jenkins, a slender National Honor Society student from Southeastern High School in Detroit.

"We'll grow with Brandon," Pitino said. "We believe Brandon has tremendous upside."

Veteran Prileu Davis will play behind Jenkins. Davis was expected to win the job last season, but after starting the season opener he scored only one basket all season.

Fortunately for Pitino, the other guard position is not as unsettled. Taquan Dean developed into one of the team's best outside shooters. Like Garcia, Dean never stops running, diving, bumping and leaping. Dean will be more than happy to take any big shots when Garcia is double-teamed.

FINAL ANALYSIS

The Cards won 25 games last season, highlighted by victories against Kentucky and Indiana, as well as the C-USA tournament title. "I think we'll have a season similar to the one we had last year, but I don't think we'll have nearly the record we did," Pitino said. "The schedule is much more difficult."

Gaines was such a determined and versatile player that the Cards will struggle early to replace him with a freshman point guard. And the probable absence of Myles, as well as Marvin Stone, will force Pitino to replace his two leading rebounders.

Whitehead, Garcia, Dean and Dartez give Pitino a strong nucleus, but Jenkins, Daniels, George and Diakite will have to contribute. Pitino convinced his players they could win on the road last season, and now they expect to be a Top 25 team.

"I think we'll be an improved team defensively," Pitino said. "We'll have some star power, but not the star power we had with Reece."

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