Game Rewind | U of L holds off WKU
Refresh regularly (or click here) for updates during the University of Louisville's noon Saturday game against Western Kentucky at Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Ky.
Final: Chippy. Physical. Hard-fought.
This one had it all, and U of L held on thanks to its free throw shooting for a 76-67 win over host WKU.
Terry Rozier scored a career-high 32 points -- 24 of them in the second half with teammate Montrezl Harrell out -- and the Cards hit 26 of 30 from the line.
See final stats (http://bit.ly/1r9Es4E) and follow our team of writers at Diddle Arena -- @jeffgreer_cj, @adamhimmelsbach and @michaelgrant_cj for more postgame reaction.
Rick Pitino, talking to Fox Sports 1 after the game, said, "I didn't expect to have no Montrezl Harrell, but he deserved to get ejected. The officials made the right call."
Harrell won't have to miss a game as a result of his flagrant 2 foul -- http://cjky.it/1ARjDLd
Also, check out Adam Himmelsbach's "What We Learned" -- http://cjky.it/1zIKObD
As for how the Cards responded: "What I told the team, we're not going to blame our warrior. He made the wrong move...I said, 'What if he sprains his ankle as we get ready for the NCAA? we've got to be able to play without our leader,' and they did a good job of that."
Pitino also lauded Rozier, saying he's a 6-foot-1 version of "his man," Dwyane Wade, and that Anas Mahmoud "is going to be a great one...He's just thin. I told him, 'You listen, son. I guarantee, if you work hard every single day, the Egyptians will forget about Cleopatra. You're taking her place."
0:32, 2H: U of L's a few free throws from icing this one, and some news from The C-J's Jeff Greer: Montrezl Harrell won't miss any games as a result of his flagrant 2 foul. That's per sports information director Kenny Klein.
0:39, 2H: WKU's still fighting, responding to Terry Rozier 3-pointers with a Chris Harrison-Docks 3-pointer. Ray Harper called timeout to sub for defense, his team trailing 73-67 late -- just two possessions.
0:59, 2H: Anas Mahmoud has 6 points and 5 rebounds, but his contributions go beyond the stat sheet. With no Montrezl Harrell helping in the post, he has filled in amicably, just now running in transition and finishing with a dunk.
1:37, 2H: Trency Jackson was hit from behind -- Chris Jones' fourth foul -- and made both free throws to keep WKU in this one, just barely, down 69-62.
2:35, 2H: Rick Pitino's last timeout is gone after yet another D.J. Clayton 3-pointer. The WKU freshman has 14 points and has hit all four attempts from beyond the arc.
The score is 67-60, and Russ Smith has some advice for the Cards, who have assisted 9 of 20 made baskets...
And Peyton Siva was quick to respond...
3:23, 2H: Anton Gill deflected a pass and absorbed a D.J. Clayton foul while falling out of bounds. He hit both free throws to make it a 7-0 U of L run and 67-55 lead. The Cards are also 21 of 24 from the charity stripe.
3:38, 2H: An unfortunate sequence for WKU may have put this one out of reach. D.J. Clayton came down with a rebound, turned, dribbled and slipped. Anton Gill grabbed the ball and passed to Chris Jones on the wing, He hit the 3-pointer.
To the under-four timeout, it's a 63-55 lead, and Terry Rozier's headed to the free throw line.
5:10, 2H: Free throws will be a big part of this one. The Cards are into the double bonus and just got a pair from Chris Jones, who pushed the lead back to 60-54. But WKU's in the bonus as well now.
5:38, 2H: WKU answered. Of course it did. The Hilltoppers ran off five quick points on another D.J. Clayton 3-pointer (he's 3 of 4) and a Trency Jackson steal and score.
To the under-eight timeout, it's a 57-52 Cards lead. Hang on, folks.
6:34, 2H: It's a 6-0 run over 1:02 for the Cards, whose lead is back to double digits at 57-47.
Leading the way for U of L is Terry Rozier with 20 points. WKU's T.J. Price has 19.
7:34, 2H: Rick Pitino has just one timeout left. Freshman D.J. Clayton pulled the Hilltoppers to within four, but making good use of the break, Chris Jones responded with his own 3-pointer. It's 54-47 and getting late.
8:34, 2H: Attendance at a packed Diddle Arena was announced at 7,598. Listed capacity there is 7,326.
Reports The C-J's Jeff Greer: "As of now, Louisville spokesman @KKcards isn't sure if there will be any further discipline on Montrezl Harrell other than the ejection."
10:29, 2H: There were indeed technical fouls assessed because of the dust-up, to Mangok Mathiang and WKU's top scorer, T.J. Price. It's a 51-44 lead after Terry Rozier made a pair of free throws he was already set to take before the timeout.
10:29, 2H: Well, the postgame handshake line should be interesting. WKU and U of L players had to be broken up again into the under-12 media timeout as the Cards' lead remains 49-44. No word of any technical fouls yet...
11:08, 2H: WKU still believes. The Hilltoppers, out of the timeout, stormed back on a run to pull to within 49-44 of visiting U of L in a rowdy Diddle Arena.
Also, this four-year series between the two wraps up next year at the KFC Yum! Center. After that, well, many fans are already speculating it could be the end.
13:17, 2H: Now it's time for the under-16 timeout -- and for both teams to take a collective breath. The frenetic pace carried over to the second half, and while U of L and WKU are even in most statistical categories, fouls stick out for the Hilltoppers, who already have seven.
Individually, George Fant is the only player in some trouble, though, with three whistles.
U of L's lead is 47-39.
15:01, 2H: T.J. Price and Terry Rozier are trading baskets, but it was the U of L guard who got the last shot, hitting a transition 3-pointer from the wing that has the Cards up 47-39. It's not yet the under-16 break; WKU called for a timeout. U of L is shooting in the bonus already, by the way.
Price has 17 points to lead the Hilltoppers, while Rozier has 16 for the Cards -- and U of L's last 10 points overall.
17:46, 2H: The lead was just 2 points until Anas Mahmoud flew in for a dunk at the other end. He followed with a defensive rebound and absorbed a foul, taking over in the post with Montrezl Harrell out.
20:00, 2H: So, back to basketball. Out to start the second half in Montrezl Harrell's place is Mangok Mathiang. Chinanu Onuaku will slide into the power forward spot.
Halfitme: So, that was interesting. After the dust cleared, neither team scored before the half. U of L's lead is 29-24, but the Cards will be without Montrezl Harrell in the second. He has 14 of their points.
More from U of L beat writer Jeff Greer on Harrell: http://cjky.it/1ARjDLd
See a full halftime box: http://bit.ly/1r9Es4E
0:38, 1H: So, an update. Montrezl Harrell is done -- and may have to sit out the next one. Both coaches were assigned technical fouls as well after talking at midcourt.
0:38, 1H: A scuffle broke out after a loose-ball situation, and Montrezl Harrell appeared to take a swing, be it a punch or elbow. An official is holding his arm afterward having absorbed a blow trying to break it up. Referees will discuss before ruling.
Can't see the replay below? Follow this link: https://vine.co/v/OXq5XKQUMMK
1:01, 1H: U of L big man Chinanu Onuaku picked up his second whistle on an offensive foul, prompting WKU's Ray Harper to bring back T.J. Price, who also has a pair of fouls. Both teams are looking for offense.
1:57, 1H: An unlikely WKU lineup is chipping into U of L's lead. On an Avery Patterson rebound, he moved in transition and dished to freshman Justin Johnson, making it 28-22. The Cards have missed their last four shots.
3:28, 1H: At the under-four timeout, U of L's lead is 28-18, and Montrezl Harrell has half the Cards' points. WKU has struggled to get points from anyone but its most-athletic players. T.J. Price has 5 and George Fant 4.
Also, U of L has 5 blocks, while the Hilltoppers have as many turnovers (7) as made field goals.
5:04, 1H: On an 8-0 run, U of L's lead is at double digits for the first time. Turnovers are piling up now for WKU, which has 7 of them in the last 7:31 and has hit 2 of its last 15 shots.
6:32, 1H: WKU went two straight possessions without so much as taking a shot, and U of L scored on both in response. With the Cards out to their largest lead -- 23-15 -- the Hilltoppers' Ray Harper called for a timeout.
7:40, 1H: A quick pace carried into the under-eight timeout. U of L leads 19-15 behind 11 Montrezl Harrell points. Chinanu Onuaku is holding his own at the center spot, already corralling 5 rebounds and helping the Cards to a 10-2 scoring advantage in the paint. Meanwhile, WKU's working a nearly three-minute scoring drought.
10:10, 1H: The post already was WKU's weak spot in this matchup. Then George Fant, the senior from Warren Central High School, picked up his second foul and headed to the bench.
10:36, 1H: Chris Harrison-Docks, who grew up in Louisville and attended Trinity for a time, is having a big game against U of L. He has hit 2 of 3 3-pointers and leads the Hilltoppers in scoring with 6 points. They trail 17-15.
11:53, 1H: Just as former coach Mike Jarvis was lauding Anas Mahmoud as a potential pro, he was called for three seconds in the lane -- U of L's first turnover. It's 15-12 into the under-12 timeout. After a hot-shooting start, WKU has cooled to make 1 of its last 8. Overall, the Hilltoppers are 5 of 15 and the Cards 5 of 13 from the field.
11:59, 1H: A diving Montrezl Harrell hit the floor, recovered possession and got a timeout. That's the good news for U of L. The bad is, in a one-possession game, the Cards have already burned two of five timeouts.
12:35, 1H: With a frenetic pace working, Quentin Snider is in to spell Terry Rozier at the guard spot. Also on the floor for U of L is Anas Mahmoud.The Cards just turned WKU over for the first time, leading to a Wayne Blackshear trip to the free throw line at the other end. He made them both, extending U of L's lead to 15-12.
13:59, 1H: Anas Mahmoud was the first player off the bench for U of L after not logging a minute against UNC Wilmington. And look for both teams to quickly go deeper into their benches. The Cards pushed the pace into the under-16 timeout, leading 11-10 in a game that has gone without a turnover.
Montrezl Harrell leads all scorers with 7 points, and he's headed to the free throw line out of the break. His 3-pointer was the first since the season-opener against Minnesota.
Oh, and folks aren't taking too kindly to the Fox Sports 1 snow graphic by the score ticker.
16:30, 1H: Montrezl Harrell tied it up at one end by breaking his 3-point drought, but then Chris Harrison-Docks -- who lived in Louisville for a while -- again moved WKU ahead with another long ball at the other end. The Hilltoppers are 4 of 8 from the field, with three of those baskets assisted.
17:33, 1H: In a lively Diddle Arena atmosphere, WKU's handling U of L's pressure well early. Rick Pitino called for a timeout on a T.J. Price 3-pointer from the wing -- he was wide open -- that has the Hilltoppers head 7-4.
20:00, 1H: Per live stats, Chinanu Onuaku is back in U of L's starting lineup after a one-game absence last Sunday against UNC Wilmington, when Mangok Mathiang got the nod for the first time this season. The other four starters, plus WKU's opening five, are as expected.
On the Fox Sports 1 lead-in, analyst Kevin O'Neil said that a week out from playing Kentucky, "Rick will murder (his players) if they lose today." O'Neil, the former USC head coach, gave WKU no shot to win this one. We'll see.
PREGAME: Walking into what they call "Big Red Country," U of L will find a way to stick out against an in-state rival. Sports information director Kenny Klein tweeted Saturday morning that the Cardinals will wear black jerseys with red trim in their first true road game, just as they did on a 2010 trip to WKU.
That night, the color change worked. U of L blistered the Hilltoppers 114-83 in a game where the Cards made 16 3-pointers.
So, does U of L plan a return to Diddle? There's nothing official yet.
WKU beat writer Zach Greenwell of the Bowling Green Daily News reported this week that with a four-year series set to end next season, nothing has been discussed yet to continue the current rotation -- two games at the KFC Yum! Center, one in Nashville and one in Bowling Green.
"Just knowing coach Pitino," WKU coach Ray Harper said this week, "I think we can look forward to continuing this for a long time."
Pitino noted that before he'd start a series against Memphis or Cincinnati, he'd take a look at the Hilltoppers, though, "I haven't really thought about it too much, but the ACC brings about a very tough schedule, and we'll see what happens down the road."
A U of L win today -- the Cards are favored by 13 1/2 points -- would even the all-time series at 39 apiece.
For pregame reading, check out previews from both the U of L (http://cjky.it/1r9q78k) and WKU (http://cjky.it/13JsRPB) sides.
Saturday's matchup also marks the first game in which U of L freshman Shaqquan Aaron is eligible. Plus, the Cards are one of nine unbeaten Division I teams left. For more on that, check out some game story lines (http://cjky.it/1CdCZOR).
Probable WKU Starters
G Chris Harrison-Docks
G Trency Jackson
G T.J. Price
F Aleksej Rostov
F George Fant
Probable U of L Starters
G Chris Jones
G Terry Rozier
F Wayne Blackshear
F Montrezl Harrell
C Chinanu Onuaku