By Charlie Leffler
For fans of University of Louisville basketball, Monday night’s game against Tennessee Tech was one of the most thrilling of the season. U of L head coach Rick Pitino expected the game to be close because his team which is drilled upon preparing for opponents only had two days to get ready for the Golden Eagles following Saturday’s emotional win over Ohio State.
On the other hand, Tech entered the game with 11-days to prepare and rest it’s players following a loss to New Mexico on Dec. 8. The Golden Eagles entered Freedom Hall with a 5-2 record, it’s only other loss coming to Tennessee.
Though the Cardinals came away with a hard-fought 70-66 victory the game was not decided until the final buzzer sounded.
“I thought coming in this was the most difficult game on the schedule,” said Pitino, “because they have eleven days to prepare. Like most teams, we’re a big preparation team and we had one day.”
With both teams playing an aggressive defensive and rapid-fire offense the game quickly turned into a battle of attrition. As with most games of such a nature the key to the victory comes down to one play that makes the difference in the game. On Monday night, Louisville could say that it was four big plays that turned the game in their favor.
“It was an even game with some key plays by (Reece) Gaines and (Eillis) Myles,” said UTT head coach Jeff Lebo.
Key play number one:
With 1:30 left to go in the game Louisville trailed 62-63. A foul by Tech’s Leigh Gayden sent an physically drained Bryant Northern to the line for one and one. As Northern’s first shot hit the back of the rim and bounced high into the air the big men battled underneath to position themselves for the rebound. But, Louisville freshman Larry O’Bannon calmly circumvented the crowd and with a perfectly timed jump tipped the miss back in to give the Cards a one-point lead.
“There’s big time guys who can make plays at the end of games,” said Pitino, “and without a doubt, Larry is one of them… Timing wise, not only in the game, but the way he jumped, that was an incredible situation. That’s 100% instinct because I quite frankly don’t know how he did it, timing wise, I really don’t.”
“That was the biggest play of the game,” said Gaines. “For a freshman to come in and play that like, I think he’s going to be a special player.”
Key play number two:
After another free throw by Northern game U of L a two-point cushion, Louisville’s Joseph N’Sima fouled Eagle leading scorer Damien Kinloch with :50 left to go in the game. As the player stepped to the free throw line the crowd behind the goal suddenly came to life and released such a deafening roar the Kinloch missed his first attempt. Kinloch hit the second but Tech still trailed by one.
“I believe as much as Larry O’Bannon and Reece Gaines took the shots, I thought our fans were major catalysts in this victory and got us over the hump,” said Pitino.
Key play number three:
Holding on to the one-point lead Louisville took the ball down the floor but could not run out the clock. As the shot clock ticked precariously low, junior guard Reece Gaines worked the parameter. As the shot clock reached two seconds, Gaines stepped back from Gayden and smoothly nailed a three-pointer as the shot clock expired giving U of L a four-point cushion 68-64 with :18 seconds to go.
“Oh, that was luck,” said Gaines. “The shot clock was winding down and I just knew that I had to make a play.”
But Tennessee Tech was not about to throw in the towel.
Key play number four:
With:09 left, Louisville junior Erik Brown swatted a Cameron Crisp layup away from the rim but was called for goaltending. The score cut the Cards’ lead to two. Then on the inbounds play, Brown was the player fouled.
Throughout the game, Brown had not been playing well. His stat line read a dismal 0-6 from the floor, including 0-3 from three point range, one rebound, one turnover and zero assists. And even though he had yet to make a shot in the game, Pitino kept the rest of his team at the half-court line to play defense as Brown stepped to the line to shoot one and one.
Brown smoothly swished both shots to secure the win for Louisville.
“I believed he was going to make them,” said Pitino. “He’s just got to get to the where, like a Derek Anderson, scoring is not the reason he plays.”
The game began as it ended, with both teams aggressively going after each other. The teams traded shots back and forth, but Tech’s first four were all three-pointers. Then with 14:23 left in the first half, Golden Eagle’s Crisp entered the game and took control. The little used sophomore guard made Tech’s fourth three to give the Eagles a lead that they would not relinquish until four minutes into the second half.
Crisp entered the game averaging 12-minutes of play and slightly over five points a game. At the break he had already played his average time and had scored 10-points. Crips finished the game with 22-points and three assists; on the season he had only scored a previous total of 38-points.
Tennessee Tech eventually pulled out to a seven point lead at 17-24 with 9:40 left to go in the half but the Cards whittled it down to 36-27 at the break.
Without sophomore Luke Whitehead being available to play the Cards found their work cut out for them on the inside. The Cardinal big players were forced to battle without much relief coming from the bench. Tech’s Greg Morgan (6-8, 235) and Kinloch (6-8, 220) were more agile than post players that the Cards were used to seeing this season.
“They’ve very athletic,” said N’Sima who logged a season high 30-minutes. “They’re extra good on the reverse, so you have to be really aware and not get out of position.” Getting positions for rebounds was difficult for the U of L insiders because of the battle under the boards, “It was war,” said N’Sima.
For the first time this season the well-conditioned Cards appeared to be winded at spots. “There were times there in the second half where I was sucking it up,” said N’Sima.
“I think I kind of fatigued,” said Myles. “I’m kind of beat up, but that’s not an excuse, I’ve got to fight through it. I went in there and told coach that I was really fatigued and I couldn’t really focus out there.” Even though he did manage to pull down 15-rebounds to go with his nine points. In comparison, Kintoch entered the game averaging 16.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. He finished with single digit figures in both categories.
“They’re a hell of a basketball team,” said Pitino. “They are a terrific team…very difficult to beat.”
