HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

by C.L. Brown, USA TODAY Sports

NEWARK, N.J. — University of Louisville center Gorgui Dieng’s second straight double-double powered the fourth-ranked Cardinals past Seton Hall 73-58 Wednesday in the Prudential Center.

Dieng, who has three double-doubles in the eight games he’s played in, scored 16 points and added 14 rebounds as the Pirates (12-4, 1-2 Big East) couldn’t match his size. He also helped the Cards (14-1, 2-0) make up for the absence of injured forward Chane Behanan.

Behanan could miss up to three more games with a sprained left ankle suffered in Monday’s practice.

If Wednesday was any indication, life without Behanan won’t be easy offensively. The Cards shot 41 percent from the floor, which was their worst outing since shooting a season-low 30.6 percent in their win over Northern Iowa.

U of L couldn’t score to start the second half, going six straight possessions and nearly four minutes without manufacturing a point. Both Peyton Siva and Russ Smith missed layups, Montrezl Harrell took an ill-advised jumper – not to mention they had a pair of turnovers.

Fortunately for the Cards, their defense made the Pirates inept offensively too. Seton Hall led the Big East in made 3-pointers and was second in shooting percentage, but U of L limited them to just four made 3s and they shot 25 percent.

When Harrell caught a lob from Siva to give U of L a 44-42 lead, the Cards would never trail again.

Luke Hancock had just seven points, but made back-to-back 3-pointers that pushed the Cards lead out to eight and the Pirates could not muster a comeback.

Harrell, who started in place of Behanan, established himself early, but not often. Harrell scored six of the Cards first 10 points during the game’s first four minutes.

Harrell picked up two fouls and was scoreless while only playing another four minutes in the first half. The freshman from Tarboro, N.C., also was limited to just one rebound. But he had a solid second half, finishing with 14 points and three rebounds.

Where Harrell dropped off, Dieng picked up. The Pirates had no answer for Dieng’s 6-foot-11 size and he easily scored in the paint. He nearly pulled … [For more on No. 4 Louisville beats Seton Hall 73-58, click here.]