| Date: Dec. 17, 2002 | Score: Louisville 104, Eastern Kentucky 63 |
| Leading Scorers: U of L: Taquan Dean (19) Eastern Kentucky: Matt Witt (17) |
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| U of L came out blazing in this game, shooting over 60% from the field in the first half en route to a 27-point halftime lead. Highlighting the opening sparks was freshman Taquan Dean, who in the first half made 4-5 shots, including 2-3 three-pointers, for what was then a career-high 14 points by halftime. He added to that and led all scorers with 19 points. Reece Gaines, who finished with 18 points on 6-11 shooting with five assists and four steals, scored five of U of L's first 10 points as the Cards grabbed an early 10-2 led. Two straight threes from Dean propelled the Cards into a 14-0 run that made the score 36-14 with 7:59 left in the opening frame. Francisco Garcia, who wound up with 13 points, scored nine of those in the first half and also had four assists. U of L shot 7-12 from behind the arc in the first half. |
Otis George was allowed to start the second half, and more than took advantage. He finished with career-highs of 16 points and 10 rebounds. U of L wound up shooting over 50% from the field for the third straight game, finishing at the 57% mark. U of L, continuing trends, scored a whopping 39 points off turnovers; for the game, Eastern finished with 22 turnovers. The Cards' bench also outscored Eastern's 63-11, but this is not surprising the way Pitino manages the depth of this Cardinal team. Also finishing in double figures for U of L was Ellis Myles, who had 10 points and seven rebounds. The Cards maintained a 36-24 edge on the glass, and have seen their free throw shooting improve from last year.  |
| Date: Dec. 26, 2001 | Score: Louisville 94, Eastern Kentucky 77 |
| Leading Scorers: U of L: Reece Gaines (25) Eastern Kentucky: Shawn Fields (24) |
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| In the final game of its eight-game homestand marathon (the longest ever in Freedom Hall), the Cardinals continued their best start since the 1996-97 season, when they opened the year at 10-0. (At 9-1 and UK up next, is 10-1 possible?) The Cards scored 16 points off of 13 Eastern Kentucky turnovers in the first half to hold an 11-point halftime lead, 47-36. Bryant Northern scored all 12 of his points in the opening period to help U of L offset foul trouble to Joseph N'Sima, Ellis Myles, and Reece Gaines. After Eastern scored the opening hoop of the second half, Carlos Hurt scored on a driving one-hander, then passed to Reece Gaines, who led all scorers with 25 points on 9-17 field goal shooting (including 3-7 from three-point range), for a dunk, giving U of L its biggest lead of the game at that point, 51-38. |
| But after the Cards built a 20-point lead, 75-55, with 7:55 left, the wheels came off for the Cards. Eastern went on a 16-3 run in the next three minutes to make it a 78-71 game with 4:16 remaining. With 3:40 left, the Colonels hit two free throws to pull within 80-75, but when Eastern Kentucky's Shawn Fields, who led his team with 24 points, blew an open dunk and a chance to cut the lead to three, momentum shifted and the Cards put the got the game back under their control. Gaines scored on a three-point play right after the missed dunk, then scored off a pass from Joseph N'Sima, who had a double-double for U of L with 10 points and 10 rebounds plus three blocked shots, to make it 85-77 with 1:50 left. The Cards wound up finishing the game on an 11-0 run. |
| The Cards shot 50% from the floor for the first time this season, and put five players in double figures, including Gaines, Northern, N'Sima, Erik Brown who had 11 points and nine rebounds, and Carlos Hurt who finished with 10. For the first time in awhile, Hurt was back in the starting line-up. However, the Cards were outrebounded 54-38, and shot a paltry 15-29 from the charity stripe, though they did hold Eastern to a frigid 34% shooting night from the field, including a woeful 8-39 from three-point range. |
