Louisville Coach Rick Pitino had good news for Cardinals fans during his radio show Tuesday night, saying that highly rated freshman Wayne Blackshear could be ready to play in six to eight weeks.

The announcement, which was reported by WHAS-TV in Louisville, was a surprise, after the coach said Friday that Blackshear would miss the entire season with a torn labrum in his right shoulder. The new timetable means Blackshear could be available for the Cardinals' game at Kentucky on New Year's Eve.

A 6-foot-5 McDonald's All-America guard/forward from Chicago, Blackshear injured the shoulder at the end of his senior high school season. He averaged 32.6 points, 14.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 3.7 steals at Morgan Park High.

Pitino also said point guard Peyton Siva wouldn't play in Thursday night's exhibition against Bellarmine because of a concussion suffered in last week's game against Pikeville.