Cardinals suffer bad break

That was before Padgett, a former McDonald’s All-American from Reno High School, suffered a broken knee cap that might end his senior season.

The Rebels (3-0) have one fewer problem to worry about as they prepare to play the No. 6 Cardinals (2-0) at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Padgett’s injury, which was sustained in an 84-53 victory over Jackson State on Sunday, left Louisville coach Rick Pitino “devastated” after the diagnosis was made Monday.

“He’s our leader, he’s our best passer inside and he really makes our offense go,” Pitino said before his team boarded a flight for Las Vegas. “It certainly is a big blow to our basketball team.”

Even without Padgett, the Cardinals will present UNLV with its toughest test of the nonconference schedule.

The Rebels are No. 1 in the nation in the Ratings Percentage Index — ahead of No. 2 UCLA — but that rating is as mysterious as what the future holds for a young and undersize team.

UNLV coach Lon Kruger said he is encouraged after victories over Montana State, San Diego and Division II Dixie State. But he also knows Louisville is several levels above those opponents.

The Cardinals, who made 22 of 35 3-pointers in a season-opening 104-69 rout of Hartford, can be punishing in the post with 6-6 Terrence Williams, 6-8 Earl Clark, 6-9 Derrick Caracter and 6-10 Terrance Farley.

Williams had 14 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds against Hartford. Clark had 20 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists against Jackson State.

Louisville’s backcourt of Andre McGee, Edgar Sosa and Jerry Smith will further stretch the Rebels’ defense. McGee has shot 10-for-17 from 3-point range in two games.

“They are very athletic and they’ve got so many weapons,” Kruger said. “They can score inside and score from the perimeter. They shoot the ball very well, and you’ve got to be concerned about that, and they are very good inside, and that’s why they’re so tough to play.

“I think every time we’ve lined up and played we have made progress. But we’ve got a long way to go.”

Senior point guard Curtis Terry said, similar to last season, UNLV is getting “not a lot of respect” and can find out how it measures up against the Cardinals.

“They’re one of the top teams in the country, and everybody knows that, so this could be a good confidence booster for us,” Terry said. “It should be a competitive game. We’re definitely not intimidated.

“We weren’t picked to do anything last year. We came out and proved ourselves and that’s what we’re going to have to do again this year.”

The Rebels get a break catching Louisville not at full strength. Aside from the injury to Padgett, 6-8 forward Juan Palacios is out after tearing a right knee ligament on the second day of practice.

Padgett transferred to Louisville after his freshman year at Kansas. Before this season, he was a unanimous selection as the Cardinals’ team captain and was voted first team All-Big East Conference.

Padgett, averaging 9.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in two games, has a nondisplaced fracture of his right patella. The injury will require at least 10 weeks to heal, or surgery might be needed.

“The best-case scenario is that he could possibly come back in 10 weeks if the knee heals on its own. Second case is that an appeal to the NCAA could yield him a sixth year of eligibility, but we know that is remote,” Pitino said.

“The third case is he sits out this season without the ability to return to our team and then tries to make a professional team.”