Pitino has favored — but shorthanded — L’ville close to goal

Steve Serby

ATLANTA — On the other end of the spectrum from the disgrace of a college basketball coach gone mad with the abuse of power and players stands Rick Pitino and the Louisville Cardinals, back at the Final Four for a second straight year. This time, though, Kevin Ware is on the bench with his repaired broken right leg, all of them pressing forward with their improbable love story that won't leave a dry eye in America's house should they be cutting down the nets Monday night.

"I don't think I could be any prouder of young men, the outward emotion of love that they showed each other was, for me, just a great thing as a basketball coach to witness," Pitino said.

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THEY'RE BACK: Rick Pitino celebrates with Chane Behanan (left) and Russ Smith after Louisville's Elite 8 win, which sent the Cardinals to their second straight Final Four.

So now Pitino and the Cardinals, as the No. 1 seed, are expected to beat Wichita State tomorrow night in the national semifinals, playing without Ware, but for him.

"I think it's going to be a great motivator for us," Pitino said.

On the other hand, what Pitino and the Cardinals gain in inspiration, they lose in substitution. Enter Tim Henderson, a junior walk-on who has appeared in 25 games, averaging just 3.5 minutes per appearance.

"We had a great rotation. ... Obviously when you press and run as much as we do, it becomes a great concern when you don't have a substitute," Pitino said. "We substitute every game and give those guys breaks. Now we can't change our style of play because we won't win or have a chance of winning, so now we have to play a walk-on. I've got confidence in him, but it's a tough spot because he hasn't got a chance to get on the court too much this year."

No Ware — who averaged nearly 17 minutes a game off the bench — means no rest for Russ Smith and Peyton Siva.

"We have to use those TV timeouts, steal 30 seconds here and there, because they're going to have to play a lot of minutes," Pitino said.

Inspiration alone got Bo Kimble and Loyola Marymount to the 1990 West Region final while mourning the tragic loss of star Hank Gathers. But one win from the Final Four, the Lions ran into a UNLV team that had little sympathy for them.

"It can be, but at this point I don't think they need any more [inspiration]," Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall said. "I'm not taking anything from the meaning that he has to the team and all that. But at this point, do they really need a whole lot of inspiration? I don't think so. ... I feel for him. I said a prayer, my team said a prayer, so. . ."

Pitino yesterday sounded as if he might need to say a prayer between now and tipoff. A year ago in the Final Four semifinals, he was the underdog who somehow kept the game close against mighty Kentucky.

"When you're the No. 1 of No. 1 seeds, there's a lot of pressure, and I'm sure the players feel it," Pitino said. "Last year, we didn't feel any pressure to get here, we just had a great time getting here."

Pitino faced a similar circumstance in 1996, when his Kentucky thoroughbreds dumped John Calipari and UMass 81-74 and then steamrolled Jim Boeheim and Syracuse 76-67 in the championship game. Hall of Fame coaches win when they are not supposed to win — 1987 Providence College and 2012 Louisville reaching the Final Four — and also when they are coaching the favorite in the race. Marshall is right: His Shockers team is no Cinderella.

"I'll say this without any exaggeration: They're the best team we will have faced this year at the defensive end," Pitino said. "They are Marquette on steroids in terms of the way they play defense. If you grab an offensive rebound, they slap it away. They don't let you go into the paint without four guys attacking you. They are the toughest team to score against. ... They're not just winning, they're pounding teams."

Marshall's reaction to Marquette on steroids?

"That's great praise 'cause Marquette's really good, so. ... First of all, I respect Coach Pitino for what he's saying, but I think he's trying to get his team ready, too."

Pitino's potential personal Final Four: Son Richard accepting the Minnesota job, which he did Wednesday ... Santa Anita Derby triumph for Kentucky Derby hopeful Goldencents, of which Pitino is a part owner, on Saturday night ... Hall of Fame selection Monday morning ... national championship Monday night.

"I don't think those four can happen," he said, laughing. "I just would love to see the national championship one happen."

Ware there's a will, there's a way.

steve.serby@nypost.com

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