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Sullivan | Blackshear gets hot at right time

Tim Sullivan
@TimSullivan714

Wayne Blackshear's eighth shot looked promising as it left his hand and even better as it started its descent toward the basket.

The shot was open. Blackshear's form was fine. But after sinking his first seven shots Tuesday night, the Louisville senior misjudged his target by maybe a millimeter and watched as the ball rimmed out.

So he wasn't quite perfect. He might have done better. Still, on a night when Rick Pitino's Cardinals were without their preeminent player, Blackshear stepped up with star quality. He scored a career-high 31 points in Louisville's 80-55 victory over Cal State Northridge, filling the void formed by Montrezl Harrell's one-game suspension by filling up the basket.

The senior forward scored Louisville's first 13 points and matched his previous career-high of 23 before the first half was finished. He made six 3-pointers, two dunks and, presumably, at least a few more believers.

"I knew Wayne was going to play great. ..." Pitino said. "I told him, 'This is over with you feeling sorry for yourself.' "

READ MORE:Instant Analysis | Louisville-Northridge

Blackshear seemed surprised by Pitino's characterization — "I didn't think I was (moping)," he said — and his performance certainly belied that perception. He conveyed a level of confidence Louisville fans have not always seen, assuming primary responsibility for replacing Harrell's offense and example. In addition to his scoring, Blackshear matched a career high with four steals.

RELATED:Game Rewind | U of L 80, Cal State Northridge 55

Blackshear cannot count on launching as many unmolested shots Saturday against Kentucky, but his reemergence as a 3-point threat is a promising development for a still-unbeaten U of L team largely overshadowed by its Big Blue rival. If Louisville is to topple the nation's top-ranked team and end UK's shot at an undefeated season, its most plausible method entails precise perimeter shooting.

Kentucky's size and length makes penetration problematic. Its depth discourages opponents from ramping up physical play and trading fouls in an effort to play attrition basketball. If there is a consensus among analysts on how Louisville can win, it is through full-court defensive pressure and long-range marksmanship.

As the team leader in 3-pointers attempted, Blackshear's ability to get dialed-in from long distance carries season-long significance. But if he's going to hit a short-term hot streak, however, now would be a pretty good time.

Blackshear missed all four of his 3-point attempts last Saturday at Western Kentucky, and he had gone 4 for 25 beyond the arc in the four games following his 22-point performance against Ohio State on Dec. 2.

Yet if that small sample was disappointing, it was hardly definitive. Just last season, Blackshear shot 39.5 percent from 3-point range — a level of production equivalent to shooting 59.3 percent inside the arc.

"You've just got to have confidence," he said. "I was out there early and got off some shots. Tonight it paid off."