When cutting inside the arc, he actually stopped at correct spots for 12’ Js. He mostly allowed the game to come to him, as we are wont to say, forcing it much less than usual.Ĭredit also to Jae’Lyn Withers. They were not quite as relentless as Peyton Siva against the Wolverines, but plenty damn stalwart.ĭespite his four turnovers and lone assist, kudos to El Ellis. Louisville, on a night that celebrated the win over Michigan to capture the school’s 3d NCAA title, was not to be denied. But immediately regained the lead and some measure with an Ellis trey, a stop, an Ellis deuce, stop, two James FTs, another stop, and Huntley-Hatfield deuce for a 52-44 advantage. Yet on consecutive possessions, turned it over, resulting in fastbreak bunnies at the other end.įell behind 43-44 exactly three minutes into the 2d. Before which U of L had made three straight FGs.

Which was answered with the Tigers netting 8 in a row.Ī microcosm of U of L’s game/ season resulted in Kenny Payne having to call a timeout with 5:01 left in the 1st. Clemson converted a +1 on the opening possession.

The big enthusiastic crowd and spirit force of the ‘13 NCAA Tournament champions played a role.īut this particular group of Cards never makes it easy. Those numbers keep a team competitive.Ĭlemson, despite their wicked 46 paint points and +9 points of turnovers, just seemed beatable. The Cards hit 6/7 at the stripe down the stretch to seal the deal.Ģ6/51 from the field. Then Withers made a horrible inbounds pass which bounced through James’ legs.īut, JJ Traynor, playing the breakout game we’ve been looking for (16 points, 9 rebounds) fashioned his fourth block of the night. Then after an empty Tiger possession, Brandon Huntley-Hatfield allowed the once raucous but muted crowd to exhale, with a slam follow of a missed J.Ī tick under a minute to play, U of L was up 74-66.Īn immediate three by the visitors cut the advantage back to five. Another Tiger layup was answered with James score underneath. The Tigers netted a trey, but Jae’Lyn Withers answered with a two. The lead was down to five, 66-61.Īfter the 3:30 media stoppage, Mike James started the triage, converting a pair of charity tosses. Which resulted in another deuce underneath, where Clemson scored 46 of their points. Louisville turned it over on a shot clock. 66-58.Īfter a Cardinal timeout, they couldn’t score. El Ellis missed the front end of a 1+1, one of only two Louisville misses at the line where they were 26/28. The Tigers tallied 2 in the paint (where they were +20 for the game). U of L’s fourth W of the campaign was by double figures as an 11 underdog.Ĭlemson was forced to call a timeout with 7:31 left, after a six point Cardinal run gave U of L a 66-52 lead.

Louisville Cardinals 83, Clemson Tigers 73. Might it have been a bit “classier” had El Ellis just dribbled out the clock at the end instead of heading uncontested to the rim for an exclamation point 360 windmill slam, after Brad Brownell had cried “uncle.”īut, ya know what, in this dastardly campaign of little return, let ‘em vogue.

Cardinal painting