If you blinked, you may have missed it.

 

To say the least, the University of Louisville basketball team made an impressive debut under new coach Rick Pitino. Miraculous may be a better way to describe it though as the Cardinals plundered South Alabama 92-38 in front of 19,413 in Freedom Hall on Sunday.

 

Four Cardinals scored in double figures, led by junior guard Reece Gaines, who recorded a game-high 18 points. Junior guard Erik Brown added 15 points while sophomore forward Ellis Myles and freshman point guard Carlos Hurt chipped in with 14 and 13 points respectively.

 

Although Louisville (1-0) was lighting up the scoreboard like a pinball machine, perhaps the most staggering aspect of the win was the Cardinals? defense. U of L converted 36 USA turnovers into a 53-6 edge in points off turnovers. Louisville also turned 18 offensive rebounds into a 21-8 advantage in second-chance points.

 

The contest was over almost as soon as it began. After Brown blocked the Jaguars initial shot attempt, the Cardinals delivered a Mike Tyson-over-Michael Spinks knockout blow. A free throw by Brown at the 18:46 mark of the first half started the avalanche, which reached mythic proportions as U of L outscored South Alabama 19-0 to start the game.

 

USA attempted to stem the tide, but there was no stopping the red and black tidal wave. A 3-point goal by Adam Salow with 12 minutes to go got the Jaguars on the board, but it had little effect on the Louisville onslaught.

 

A pair of free throws by U of L?s Simeon Naydenov and a layup by Myles kept the run going as the Cardinals scored the game?s next 12 points, taking a 31-3 lead on a pair of free throws by freshman Larry O?Bannon with 9:21 to go before the break.

 

South Alabama (0-1) finally got some shots to fall late in the first half, but the Cardinals went to the locker room with a 47-15 lead, and with the game well in hand.

 

The Cardinals forced the Jaguars into 22 miscues in the opening frame alone, and were stifling on defense allowing USA just 16 field goal attempts, with South Alabama making only four shots.

 

It was more of the same in the second half as Louisville pulled further and further away. The lead eventually grew to 60 points when Naydenov splashed a trey with 2:03 remaining to give U of L a 91-31 lead before a late USA flurry provided the final margin.

 

South Alabama shot just 31-percent from the floor (13-of-42), while the Cardinals won the battle of the boards 41-34. Louisville committed 15 miscues while dishing out 14 assists.

 

The Jaguars were led in scoring by Larry Thompson, who netted 14 points while Salow added 10 points in a losing effort.

 

South Alabama (38)

Ivy 0-6 3-4 3, H. Williams 1-2 0-0 2, White 2-6 3-8 7, Ricks 0-3 0-0 0, D. Williams 0-4 2-4 2, Thompson 6-10 0-3 14, Hunter 0-1 0-0 0, McLavish 0-1 0-0 0, Salow 4-9 1-2 10. Totals ? 13-42 (.310) 9-21 (.429) 38.

 

Louisville (92)

Myles 3-5 8-14 14, Whitehead 3-6 2-2 8, Brown 5-11 3-4 15, Hurt 5-8 0-0 13, Gaines 6-10 4-4 18, Wilkinson 0-0 0-0 0, Northern 0-1 0-0 0, Turner 1-2 0-0 2, Bender 2-3 1-2 5, Mohammed 0-0 0-0 0, Naydenov 1-5 4-6 7, O?Bannon 0-3 6-6 6, George 0-1 0-0 0, N?Sima 2-5 0-0 4. Totals ? 28-60 (.467) 28-38 (.737) 92.

 

Halftime ? South Alabama 15, Louisville 47. 3-point goals ? South Alabama 3-11 (Ivy 0-1, Ricks 0-1, D. Williams 0-1, Thompson 2-5, McLavish 0-1, Salow 1-2), Louisville 8-20 (Brown 2-3, Hurt 3-5, Gaines 2-4, Northern 0-1, Naydenov 1-4, O?Bannon 0-3). Fouled Out ? South Alabama (McLavish). Rebounds ? South Alabama 34 (White 9), Louisville 41 (Myles 8). Assists ? South Alabama 8 (D. Williams 5), Louisville 14 (Hurt 3, Gaines 3). Total Fouls ? South Alabama 27, Louisville 24. Attendance ? 19,413.