Virginia leads wire-to-wire to hand Louisville a 64-52 loss

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- — Kihei Clark scored 15 points as Virginia turned in a wire-to-wire win over Louisville, 64-52 Monday night, rebounding from a double-digit loss to North Carolina State.

Virginia continued a season-long trend. The Cavaliers have won back-to-back games once this season, knocking off Syracuse and Clemson, and have yet to lose back-to-back games.

The Cavaliers jumped to a quick, 5-0 lead to start the game after Clark nailed a 3-pointer, then pushed the lead to 22-5 nine minutes into the contest. Louisville battled back and cut its deficit to just four points, 45-41, but could never quite catch Virginia. Clark's 3-pointer with just under eight minutes to go pushed the lead back into double digits, 52-41, but Malik Williams and Jarrod West each hit from 3-point range to get back within five, 52-47. Kadin Shedrick had back-to-back dunks and Armaan Franklin had a three-point play to put the Cavaliers back in front by 12.

Reece Beekman spearheaded a Virginia attack, doling out 11 assists as the Cavaliers put up 20 assists on 24 made baskets.

Clark finished with five assists. Jayden Gardner added 14 points; Shedrick had 11 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots; and Franklin added 10 points. Virginia (12-8, 6-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) shot 47.1% from the field (24 of 51), hitting 5 of 16 from distance and 11 of 14 from the line while taking a decided advantage on the boards, out-rebounding the Cardinals 28-18..

Jarrod West led Louisville (11-9, 5-5) with 14 points off the bench. Matt Cross had 11 points and six rebounds and Malik Williams added 10 points and six boards.

Virginia travels to Notre Dame on Saturday. Louisville now has five losses in its last six games and faces No. 9 Duke on Saturday.

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