Shorthanded Louisville tops Pittsburgh
by C.L. Brown, USA TODAY Sports
With the weight of a three-game losing streak.
With a starter and a key reserve out for the game.
With a makeshift lineup that at one point included two walk-ons who had played a combined 52 minutes this season.
Sounds like a formula for defeat, but the University of Louisville snapped Pittsburgh’s four-game win streak with a 64-61 win in the KFC Yum! Center on Monday night. The No. 13 Cardinals (17-4, 5-3 Big East) avoided having their first four-game losing streak since the 2003-04 season.
The Cards persevered by doing the things late in the game that they failed to do during their losing streak.
When Pitt cut an 11-point deficit to 53-50 with 4:53 left, Russ Smith knocked down a 3-pointer to stiff-arm the rally.
Unlike the Villanova loss in which missed free throws late in the game haunted the Cards, Luke Hancock knocked down a pair of bonus free throws making the lead 58-50.
But the Panthers kept coming back. After a Trey Zeigler basket, Lamar Patterson followed with a 3-pointer when Pitt grabbed the offensive rebound for a second shot. Patterson’s shot pulled the Panthers within one possession at 58-55.
Pitt hurt the Cards with offensive rebounds the entire game. The Panthers totaled 25 second-chance points, which was the most allowed by U of L all season.
Chane Behanan, who blamed himself for the Nova loss going 3 of 9 from the free throw line, got a bit of redemption Monday with 24 seconds left. He made a pair of bonus free throws, which seemingly gave the Cards a bit of comfort up 60-55.
Trey Woodall wouldn’t let them rest. He drained a deep 3-pointer that brought gasps from the crowd and pulled Pitt within 60-58 with 13 seconds left.
Again forced to make free throws, Gorgui Dieng converted on both his attempts with 12 seconds left to essentially seal the win for the Cards. Dieng had 14 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks.
It was never easy for U of L, which played without starting forward Wayne Blackshear, who missed the game with a shoulder injury suffered in Sunday’s practice, and reserve Kevin Ware, who had previously … [For more on Shorthanded Louisville Cardinals top Pittsburgh Panthers, click here.]
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