If the Gobal Sports Showcase was the less than well heated frying pan, the 5th ranked University of Louisville basketball Cardinals (6-0) jumped into the challenge fire Tuesday night as they met the number 14 Ohio State Buckeyes (5-1) as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge at the KFC Yum! Center. The Cards escaped with a 64-55. Though not a direct tournament, Louisville won the showcase by sweeping the round robin event in which they played all games at home. No one expected either team to coast the way they had been earlier in the season. For Coach Rick Pitino, he wanted to see improvement in shot selection and assist-to-turnover ratio, which hasn’t been good all season. Shooting percentage also needed to improve as the Cards work their way toward their ACC schedule. Several of his wishes came true. Senior forward Wayne Blackshear played lights out basketball including his time beyond the three point arc. He was the offensive bright spot and spark when the team needed it. He hit 22 points including 4 triples. When centers Chinanu Onuaku went out in the first half with foul trouble, Anas Mahmoud, the seven foot Egyptian freshman put in quality minutes. He wasn’t an offensive threat, but his 7 rebounds and 2 blocked shots kept the Cards in the game. His 24 minutes were the most he’s played all season. Meanwhile Ohio State had all kinds of trouble on offense due, in part, to the smothering and aggressive defense that wouldn’t let them get off a contested shot. …
Continue Reading: The Louisville Basketball Cardinals Punch Ohio State in the Buckeye 64-55
