CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The University of Louisville men’s basketball team secured a historic 76-73 victory over Clemson on Friday night, clinching a spot in the ACC Championship Game for the first time in program history.
Terrence Edwards Jr. led the Cardinals with 21 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. J’Vonne Hadley added 20 points, nine rebounds, and two assists, reaching his 1,000th career Division I point during the game. Chucky Hepburn finished with 12 points, five rebounds and assists.
“I want to give a lot of credit and shout-out to Clemson and Brad (Brownell) and his staff,” said head coach Pat Kelsey. “It's a very, very good team, a very, very well-coached team. They're tough. They're physical. We knew it was going to be a tough, physical game, and it exceeded anything that I even thought it would be. I told our guys in the locker room, standing on the sidelines, that was as physically demanding of a game as I've ever coached in. From the very beginning, it was established early on how the game was going to go and how it was going to be called, and both teams accepted that challenge. They're a championship-caliber team, and they fought.”
Louisville started slow, falling behind 6-2 after early turnovers. Clemson capitalized, extending its lead to seven points at 17-10 with 11:22 left in the first half. The Cardinals responded with a 9-0 run, turning the seven-point deficit into a one-point lead.
After forcing a turnover, Hadley tied the game at 23-23 with a jumper, then drilled a three-pointer to even it at 26-26. Edwards Jr. gave Louisville its first lead since the opening minutes with a jumper at 2:08, and Hepburn added a stepback jumper just before halftime to send the Cards into the breakup 33-28.
Louisville used another 9-0 run early in the second half to add to its advantage, creating a 13-point difference at 47-34 with 12:08 on the game clock. The Cardinals kept the Tigers at arm’s distance, gaining as much as a 15-point lead twice.
Clemson wouldn’t back down, stringing together a 5-0 run to get the deficit to single digits followed by seven straight points in just 24 seconds to close the game to just two points, 75-73 Louisville lead, with 54 seconds to go.
With six seconds left, Hepburn knocked down a clutch free throw to extend the lead to three. On the final possession, Clemson’s Chase Hunter missed a potential game-tying three-pointer, and Hadley secured the rebounds time expired, sealing the 76-73 victory.
Louisville shot 44% from the field and 81% from the free throw line, while Clemson shot 39% and 82% from the charity stripe. The Cardinals narrowly outrebounded the Tigers 38-37 and forced nine turnovers, converting them into 11 points.
Louisville will face Duke on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. with a conference title on the line. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
