| Date: Dec. 7, 2001 | Score: Louisville 90, Wisconsin-Milwaukee 75 |
| Leading Scorers: U of L: Reece Gaines, Larry O'Bannon, Luke Whitehead (15) Wisconsin-Milwaukee: Ronnie Jones (22) |
|
| Coach Pitino called this game U of L's smartest of the year so far, and with a balanced scoring attack that put six players in double-figures, plus good ball control in committing only 11 turnovers, you can see why Pitino might say that. U of L actually fell behind in the first few minutes by scores of 7-0 and 13-8, but the Cards used a 17-0 run -- hitting on seven shots in a row-- to effectively put the game away. Carlos Hurt hit a wing-jumper and two three-pointers in the run, while Luke Whitehead scored on a fast-break lay-up to give U of L a 25-13 lead with 8:03 left in the first half. The Panthers went seven minutes without scoring, and from that point on, Wisconsin-Milwaukee got no closer than nine, and U of L led 43-31 at halftime. The Cards had 11 steals on the game, which helped to mitigate their 11 turnovers, which itself was far below the team's average of 19.3 a game. It was even more impressive considering the Panthers pressed the entire game, and changed defensive schemes on almost every Cardinal possession. |
Several players put in very solid efforts. Hurt finished with 10 points, four assists, and only one turnover, although he struggled in the second half, shooting only 1-10 in the second frame. Quickly emerging as U of L's sixth man is Larry O'Bannon, who came in five minutes into the game, scored eight quick points, and finished with 15 points and three steals. Also, Luke Whitehead had 15 points, six rebounds, and three steals. U of L extended its lead to 20 early in the second half by starting the period with a 12-2 run. Ellis Myles had 12 of his game-high 15 rebounds in the second period, and matched with his 13 points, attained his third straight double-double. Myles left the game a minute early due to a leg cramp. The Panthers pulled within 64-52 at the 11:45 mark of the second half, but the Cards used a 10-3 run -- sparked by a Bryant Northern three-pointer -- to hold off the rally. Reece Gaines finished with 15 points, while Erik Brown had 13, including a perfect 3-3 from behind the arc.  |
