by C.L. Brown, USA TODAY Sports

The University of Louisville won’t always shoot as well as it did in the first half against Miami of Ohio Sunday. On the occasions when the Cardinals do, the results will likely look like Sunday’s 80-39 beatdown of the Redhawks.

No. 2 U of L (3-0) made 9 of 16 3-pointers in the first half as it jumped out to a 22-point lead at intermission. It had entered the game shooting just 24 percent from behind the arc. The Cards finished making 12 of 26 of their 3-point attempts.

Russ Smith again led the way for the Cards. The junior guard had 14 of his 23 in the first half. He also paced the team from the perimeter making four of his first five 3-pointers and set a new personal best with a total of five.

It wasn’t just hot shooting that powered the Cards. U of L played, statistically, its best defensive performance of the season by limiting the Redhawks to 29 percent shooting.

C.L. Brown writes for The Courier-Journal.

… [For more on Louisville's defense keys rout of Miami (OH), click here.]