By Andrew Hornback
The University of Louisville men’s basketball team lost its second consecutive Big East conference game, falling 82-77 to the University of Pittsburgh on Saturday, Jan. 16.
The Cards led 68-64 with less than a minute to go, but missed free throws that gave the Panthers the opportunity to send the game into overtime.
“I knew the game wasn’t over,” said Pittsburgh senior guard Jermaine Dixon. “We just had to keep playing our game.”
Senior guard Edgar Sosa, who recorded 13 points and 5 assists, missed 4 free throws in the final minutes of the game. The Cardinals shot 10-of-17 from the free throw line as a team, after going 39-of-45 against Villanova University.
Pittsburgh outscored the Cardinals 13-8 in the overtime period.
“I thought we executed very well until overtime,” said Rick Pitino, men’s basketball head coach. “We didn’t do the same things in overtime. We lost focus after missing free throws.”
Sophomore forward Samardo Samuels led the Cardinals in points and rebounds, with 25 and 6, respectively. Samuels went 12-of-20 from the field. Sophomore guard Preston Knowles was the only other Cardinal player to shoot at least 50 percent from the field, going 8-of-12, including 5-of-7 3-pointers.
“It’s tough to win on the road,” said Pitino. “I told the players nothing is going to change, unless their mentality changes on defense.”
The Cardinals will be in action again on Thursday, Jan. 21, against Seton Hall University in Newark, N.J.
