Louisville’s Strong Performance Against Pitt

PITTSBURGH – The Louisville men’s basketball team is showing signs of a strong comeback. In a recent matchup against Pittsburgh, the Cardinals demonstrated their dominance from the start, securing a convincing 100-59 victory at the Petersen Events Center on Saturday night.

Ranked No. 20, Louisville improved to 13-5 overall and 3-3 in ACC play with this win. This marks their fourth win in their last seven away games and brings them back to a .500 record in conference play. Prior to this game, the team had struggled, losing four of their last seven and three of their last four games after starting the season with a strong 9-1 record.

Louisville’s offensive performance was impressive, as they shot 63.2% from the field and made 15 of their 29 three-point attempts. They also recorded 24 assists on their 36 made baskets, tying their season high for assists.

Although the team eased up on defense towards the end of the game, it was a significant improvement compared to their previous performances over the past month. They held Pitt to just 38.2% shooting from the field, 7-of-24 on three-pointers, and out-rebounded them 35-24. Brandon Cummings was the only player for Pitt to score in double digits, finishing with 11 points.

Ryan Conwell led the way for Louisville with a game-high 24 points, six assists, and six rebounds. J’Vonne Hadley added 17 points and a team-high seven rebounds, while Adrian Wooley and Sananda Fru each scored 12 points. Isaac McKneely contributed 11 points to the effort.

Despite missing two key players, Mikel Brown Jr. and Khani Rooths, both sidelined due to injuries, the Cardinals still managed to dominate the game. Brown has missed his eighth straight game due to a lower back injury, while Rooths sat out his second consecutive game due to an injury.

The game started with a strong offensive push by Louisville. After falling behind 14-0 in their previous game against Virginia, the Cardinals turned the tables on Pitt. Three early three-pointers from McKneely and three turnovers by Pitt in the first few minutes allowed Louisville to take control, scoring the first 13 points of the game.

This opening segment set the tone for what became a dominant first half for Louisville. They shot 18-of-30 from the field, including 11-of-19 from beyond the arc, and did not miss more than two shots in a row during the period.

Although Pitt managed to gain some momentum before halftime, they were still held to 8-of-27 shooting and did not reach double figures until the 5:45 mark. Louisville ended the half with a commanding 53-22 lead, marking their largest road halftime lead since a 51-18 advantage at Pitt on January 24, 2017.

In the second half, Pitt carried some of their momentum into the game, shooting 13-of-28 after halftime. However, Louisville maintained their lead, never allowing Pitt to get closer than 26 points. Conwell scored eight points in the first 1:45 of the second half, sparking an 18-of-27 shooting performance that helped the team cruise to victory.

Louisville led by as much as 45 points, reached their scoring average (87.2) at the 5:47 mark, and hit the 100-point threshold with 43 seconds left in the game.

Upcoming Games

Louisville will have a few extra days off before returning home to the KFC Yum! Center for a matchup against Virginia Tech. The game is scheduled for Saturday, January 24, at 3:30 p.m. EST.

For more updates on the Louisville Cardinals, check out the following stories:

• Kentucky Transfer OL Evan Wibberley Commits to Louisville
• ACC Releases Final Injury Report for Louisville vs. Pitt
• Game Day Live Blog: Louisville at Pitt | Game 18
• Ranking Louisville’s Top Transfer Portal Commitments

(Photo of Adrian Wooley: Charles LeClaire – Imagn Images)

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