By Andrew Krumme
Louisville earned its 15th berth into the Sweet Sixteen with its 76-54 victory over Georgia Tech Sunday. U of L, the #4 seed, will face #1 Washington in Albuquerque, N.M., on Thursday.
The Cardinals opened the second round of the NCAA tournament with a barrage of 3-pointers and frequent trips to the free-throw line. The points started accumulating, and the Cardinals never looked back.
The Cardinals utilized a 2-2-1 press along with several halfcourt defenses to slow a Gerogia Tech team that loves to run.
Taquan Dean, Larry O’Bannon and Francisco Garcia combined for 51 points to lead the Cards. “I feel like a 25-year old dad having his first child, being so proud,” U of L head coach Rick Pitino said. “My pride level is so out of the sky right now with these young men. I don’t know what to say, I am just so proud of them. I am just a very lucky coach to have these three guys.”
Although Pitino could not stop harping on his three guards, it is clear the team must focus on their upcoming Washington match-up. “They’re a number one seed, so you know they’re a pretty good team. I’ve gotten to watch them a few times during the year, and I know they’re a great transitional team,” O’Bannon said.
Washington may be a number one seed and a formidable foe, but one has to wonder if Louisville will have trouble competing against them. The Huskies are a balanced team with no real superior threat like the other top seeds in the tournament. With a solid shooting effort and good defense, a consistent factor in Louisville’s play this year, Louisville may be able to pull off the upset.
The Sweet Sixteen appearance will be Pitino’s first at the helm of the Cardinals and the seventh of his career.
The Cardinals have a 31-4 record and won the Conference USA tournament two weeks ago.
Results from round one
NASHVILLE, Tenn. –– Nashville was ablaze with red both in the stands and on the court Friday night as the Louisville Cardinals took on the University of Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns. The Cards pulled out a 68-62 victory and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
The Cards connected on 13 of 29 field goal attempts in the first half. Junior Taquan Dean and senior Larry O’Bannon combined for three 3-pointers, the only 3-pointers of the first half.
The Cajuns’ statistics were nearly identical, as the team made 13 of 28 field goals and one of five 3-pointers. The score remained within a couple of points until the 8:48 mark, when Louisville took its biggest lead of the game, 23-15.
Dean scored U of L’s first seven points, and led the Cardinals with 11 points at the half.
At the end of the half, the Cards led by one point, 33-32.
Second half scoring was more dismal than the first, with the Cardinals hitting only nine of 28 field goals and three of 11 3-pointers. The Cajuns made 11 of their 25 field goal attempts and sank three of seven 3-point shots.
The score was tied five times in the second half, but the Cards were able to pull it out in the end.
With 7:19 remaining in the half, Green fouled out. “When Orien went out of the game, it changed our ability to attack offensively as far as in an effective manner in when they pressed us. That was devastating to us. If Orien could have stayed and played the usual minutes that he does play, then I think the results might have been different,” said Louisiana-Lafayette head coach Robert Lee.
At the 3:43 mark, the score was tied at 55, but the Cards stole the lead and did not allow the Cajuns to come back.
“I knew when we had this match-up it was going to come down to the last two minutes. We are a veteran basketball team but so are they. We are proud of this victory,” Pitino said.
Allison Strickland, Managing Editor, contributed to this story from Nashville. Glypie Grider, Sports Editor, also contributed to this story.
