By Whitney Spencer

The Big East men’s basketball tournament was held this past week at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The University of Louisville Cardinals could not keep from falling into another Pitt; the University of Pittsburgh Panthers that is.

The Cards lost to the Panthers 76-69 in overtime last Thursday.

The Cards had lost their previous two meetings with the Panthers in the Big East tournament. After winning nine in a row, the Cardinals had already dropped one to the University of Georgetown in their last regular season game. Despite winning the previous meeting, this quarterfinal game would tell a different story.

For the second game in a row, U of L guards junior Andre McGee, sophomores Jerry Smith and Edgar Sosa could not find their rhythm. The three shot a combined 2-of-21 and junior small forward Terrance Williams went 2-of-10. The Panthers held the No.12 ranked Cardinals to only 37.5 percent overall.

“We went cold at the wrong time, even with tip-ins and lay-ups,” U of L head coach Rick Pitino said in a press conference.

In a game that featured 12 ties and 19 lead changes, sophomore forward Earl Clark grabbed a rebound and put it in with 26 seconds left in regulation, tying the score at 62. Pittsburgh guard Levance Fields missed a jumper at the final buzzer to send the game in to overtime. With 1:07 left in overtime, Fields drove past McGee and put in a jumper and on the Cardinals next possession Clark fouled out with a team high 19 points and nine rebounds.

“I was just trying to come out and play aggressive,” Clark said to The Courier-Journal.

The Cards, who stand at 24-8 overall, will have several things to do before the NCAA tournament begins and their first round match-up with Boise State University.

After going only 8-for-37 from three-point range, the Cardinals must find their touch. They must also work on their second half defense, allowing Georgetown and Pittsburgh to shoot 65 percent and 50 percent respectively in two consecutive games.

Pitino said he is excited for the tournament and he thinks that the Cardinal faithful should travel well.

“We’re?excited to be in the NCAA Tournament?as a number three seed in the East.? I think it’s?a great compliment to us having?played the sixth-toughest schedule in the nation?and competing?in?the nation’s toughest conference,” Pitino who led the Cardinals to the final four in 2005 stated in a press release.? “For our fans, it’s a wonderful journey because Birmingham is just a short trip away.”

Students are excited about Louisville’s chances.

“I think they can go as far as they want if they take it one game at a time,” sophomore education major Shelby Spradlin said.

Several projections have been made as to where the Cards could advance this season. Fans have their own opinion.

“Honestly, I don’t know how the Cardinals will do in the NCAA tournament at this point,” sophomore justice administration major Brian Andrews said. “Hopefully they have a better overall finish than the football team did, is all I can hope.”