| Game Summary: EA Sports | Score: Louisville 98, EA Sports 90 |
| Leading Scorers: U of L: Reece Gaines (19) EA Sports: Matt Garrison (26) |
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| Action returns to Freedom Hall, even if it is only an exhibition. One of the more interesting parts of the Cards' exhibition contest against EA Sports was that former Cardinal player Muhammed Lasege took the Freedom Hall court for the opponents. He scored 11 points, but his presence in Freedom Hall was a reminder to what a great guy Lasege is, and what a shame it was that his U of L career was cut short. As for the game itself, it took a gutty second half effort for the Cards to pull this one out. One reason the Cards were able to win was because EA Sports was playing its third game in as many nights. EA Sports shot 11-24 from three-point range and better than 50% for the game; had U of L's foes not had tired legs, they might have been able to withstand the Cards' challenge. |
| As usual, the Cards were paced by Reece Gaines, who had 19 points, though junior Luke Whitehead scored 17 points. Ellis Myles pulled down a hard-to-believe 18 rebounds, while junior Alhaji Mohammed had 10 of his total 11 points in the second half. Senior Erik Brown sat the game out due to a sprained ankle. The Cards trailed 68-64 with 11:36 left in the game when Ellis Myles found Otis George for a lay-up, which was followed 35 seconds later by a bucket by Gaines following a Myles rebound. The Cards took the lead for good at 70-68 Mohammed scored off an assist from Taquan Dean; U of L was impressive in racking up 26 total assists, a hopeful sign of things to come from the backcourt. Kendall Dartez scored in the lane, which preceeded a three-pointer by Bryant Northern and then a dunk by Dartez that capped U of L's 15-2 run that made it 79-70 with 6:46 left. |
Although U of L pressed the entire game, the Cards came up with only eight steals. Pitino also expressed concern with U of L's rebounding although statistically the Cards had the edge on the glass. The Cards shot their free throws well, hitting on 29-38, with Gaines leading the way by shooting 9-10 from the charity stripe.  |
| Game Summary: EA Sports | Score: Louisville 81, EA Sports 63 |
| Leading Scorers: U of L: Reece Gaines (19) EA Sports: Holmes (23) |
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| Rick Pitino makes his first appearance as a U of L coach, and shows the fans and the world the trademark style of play that characterized Pitino's college teams. The Cards were able to muster 15 minutes worth of typical Pitino ball before succumbing to their own lack of basketball knowledge and physical condition. Those 15 minutes were enough, though, as U of L romped to an 81-63 exhibition victory. At the 12:50 mark of the first half and the score tied at 12, U of L went on a 11-0 run. U of L used a full-court press and dunks off turnovers to continue the ball rolling, as the Cards then opened up a 29-14 lead with 8:01 left in the first period. EA Sports got as close as seven the rest of the game. Although Reece Gaines led the Cards in scoring (likely to be a familiar refrain this season) with 19 points, Ellis Myles had the most impressive effort, scoring 15 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. One drawback to the Cardinals' effort was its outside shooting: U of L was only 5-26 from three-point range, including a 1-8 effort by Gaines. |
| Freshman point guard Carlos Hurt was only 1-6 from three-point range himself, but did have a solid all-around game with 11 points, eight assists and five rebounds. One big advantage the Cards enjoyed in this game -- which is not likely to occur often this season -- was a big rebounding edge. U of L outrebounded EA Sports 59-38, paced by 10 boards by Joseph N'Sima and eight by Luke Whitehead, who also scored 10 points. |
