| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Utah coach Rick Majerus wasn't offering
any excuses for his ranked team's 75-55 loss to Louisville on
Thursday night.
"They (beat us) on the boards and in transition, that's the
bottom line," a frustrated Majerus said after his team's nine-game
winning streak was snapped. "We weren't ready to play at all, and
that's my fault.
|  | | Louisville's Dion Edward pulls down a rebound in front of Utah's Nate Althoff. |
"We lost the game because, emotionally, we did not have an edge to us and we didn't have the energy and enthusiasm needed to play
anyone."
Nate Johnson scored 19 points and Tony Williams added 12 as the quicker, more athletic Cardinals (9-3) outrebounded Utah (No. 22 ESPN/USA Today, No. 18 AP) 37-22 and forced 17 turnovers.
Hanno Mottola, who entered the game averaging 24 points and 6.8 rebounds in five starts since returning from a preseason knee
injury, scored 20 of his 27 points in the second half to lead the
Utes (11-3).
The victory was Louisville's fourth straight since an
embarrassing 76-46 loss at intrastate rival Kentucky on Dec. 18, a
streak that includes a 97-80 victory over then-No. 6 North
Carolina.
"This was a great team victory," Louisville coach Denny Crum
said. "We approached this game like we did North Carolina, with
the thought that we had to play 40 minutes of intense, concentrated
defense.
"One of the good things about playing a ranked team is that it
gets your kids focused."
Louisville's frenetic pressure confused Utah from the game's
opening moments. The Utes scored the first two points on a jumper
by Mottola then committed four straight turnovers as the Cardinals
went up 12-4.
Leading 30-18 with 3:23 remaining, Louisville scored the final
10 points of the half to take a 22-point lead.
"When I looked up at the board at halftime and saw they only
had 18 points, I said, 'Whoa. That was a great defensive effort,' " Crum said.
Utah, which last lost 84-72 at Weber State on Dec. 1, didn't
fare much better in the second half as the Cardinals pushed the
lead to 30 with 6:57 remaining. A 13-3 Utah run cut the margin to
20 by game's end.
Louisville scored 20 points off turnovers and had 19
second-chance points to the Utes' three.
"We just embarrassed ourselves," Mottola said. "It looked
like the first time we ever played basketball -- just terrible.
"We did not get back and we did not rebound. If you don't play
defense and rebound, you have no chance."
Louisville's unheralded bench also responded, outscoring the
Utes' reserves 27-14.
Backup center Tobiah Hopper scored 10 points, including his
first two 3-pointers since joining Louisville as a junior college
transfer last season. Fellow reserves Kevin Smiley and Quintin
Bailey had nine and five points, respectively.
Williams scored six points below his 18-point average and
starting guard Marques Maybin, who came into the game averaging 16
points, had a season-low two.
"Our bench came in tonight and played extremely well," Crum
said. "If you get three guys coming in and playing well, like we
did, the other ones don't matter."
| |
ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Utah Clubhouse
Louisville Clubhouse
|
