CardinalSports.com - Louisville survives second scare in two days, 90-81

November 22, 2009

Howie Lindsey
CardinalSports.com Managing Editor

For the second time in two days, Louisville had a double-digit halftime lead cut to single digits in the second half before pulling out a win over a fiesty opponent. Saturday it was East Tennessee State testing the Cardinals during a 69-56 Louisville win. Sunday it was Morgan State who provided the challenge during a 90-81 UofL win.

The Bears (3-1) cut Louisville's lead to just five points with under 10 minutes left in the game, but the Cardinals pushed ahead for a 90-81 win.

"We're learning and getting better. It is baby steps with this team because we are extremely young.," Louisville coach Rick Pitino said. "Our older guys are better at offense than defense, and our younger guys are still learning. It is just going to take some time and some patience."

Morgan State was a game competitor from the opening tip. The Cardinals built a quick 7-2 lead in the first minute and a half, but the Bears took an 8-7 lead just a minute later. Pitino called his first timeout of the Morgan State game with 17:46 to go after the Cardinals big men had been beat down the court three times for scores.

Louisville regained the lead 10-8 on a three by Edgar Sosa, but Morgan State pushed ahead 11-10. When Louisville took a 21-15 lead with just under 12 minutes left in the first half and then pushed ahead 26-18 two minutes later, Morgan State answered with a run to take a 27-26 lead with 6:40 left before halftime.

Louisville pushed back ahead, building a 33-27 lead with just over five minutes left and then pushed the lead to 41-32 with just over three minutes to go. The Cardinals scored nine of the final 12 points of the half to take a 50-35 lead into the break.

Morgan State scored the first two buckeets of the second half to cut the Cardinals' lead to 11, and then cut the lead to single digits (61-53) on a three pointer by Reggie Holmes. A three by Morgan State power forward DeWayne Jackson cut Louisville's lead to 65-60.

A three by Louisville's Preston Knowles put the Cardinals back ahead by eight, and the Bears wouldn't get any closer than six points the rest of the way. After Morgan State's Kevin Thompson hit a shot in the post to cut the lead to 68-62, Louisville scored four points on free throws (2-3 from Reggie Delk and 1-2 from Samardo Samuels and Preston Knowles) to take a 72-62 lead with 7:34 to go.

A lay-up on the break by Jackson cut the margin to 72-64, and the lead was just 74-67 after a jumper by Preston Knowles for Louisville and a three by Jackson for Morgan State. A pair of free throws by Edgar Sosa at the 5:23 mark and another pair with 4:57 put the Cardinals ahead 78-67.

A pair of free throws by Jerry Smith and a monster dunk on a fast break by Rakeem Buckles put Louisville up 82-69 with 4:39 to go, and two more free throws by Smith pushed the lead to 15 again for the first time since halftime. Louisville held on for the 90-81 lead despite Morgan State scoring eight out of the last nine points.

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