LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — You didn’t have to wait for evidence of the struggle the University of Louisville men’s basketball team would have without point guards Skyy Clark (sitting on the bench with a rib injury) and Ty-Laur Johnson (home with a concussion) on Saturday at Pittsburgh.
Less than 12 minutes into the game, the Cards led the favored Panthers, 18-17. They had erased every inch of an early 9-point Pittsburgh lead.
And then …
... Turnover Mike James. Turnover Brandon Huntley-Hatfield. Missed shot Huntley-Hatfield. Turnover Tre White. Turnover Kaleb Glenn. Turnover Huntley-Hatfield. Turnover Curtis Williams.
Louisville 's Mike James (0) looks to pass the ball between Pittsburgh 's Federiko Federiko (33) and Carlton Carrington, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
It was an equal opportunity sloppiness festival — six turnovers by five players in seven possessions.
Pitt was playing for its NCAA Tournament life. Joe Lunardi, ESPN's bracket expert, flatly said during the telecast that Pitt could not afford to lose to Louisville if Jeff Capel's team intended to make the party.
The Panthers jumped from one-point behind to nine points ahead — and never trailed again while finishing the season sweep of Kenny Payne’s team with an 86-59 victory at the Petersen Events Center. Louisville slipped to 8-18 overall and 3-12 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Pitt forward Blake Hinson had the game of his life, scoring 41, the most points scored by any ACC player this season. It was also the sixth most points scored by any men's Division I player this season.
"We are all disappointed in what happened out here today," U of L coach Kenny Payne said.
"I'm disappointed that an elite scorer scored. But how did he score? He scored with ease. He didn't really have to really work really hard to get the baskets that he got.
"So that bothers me. Really bothers me a lot. I'm not happy with that. Because we know what it was. We knew how good he is. We know how strong he is. We know how good he shoots the three.
"For him to walk out of this game with 9 threes, somebody missed something."
Hinson carried a scoring average of 18.3 points into the game, fifth in the ACC. He had more than 18 points less than 16 minutes into the game.
At halftime Hinson had as many points (27) as the Cardinals.
At the second media timeout of the second half, Hinson had outscored Louisville, 38-37.
Hinson’s 41 points, featured 9 of 13 shooting from distance as well as four free throws and five two-point field goals.
"A guy walked into a game and had 41 points," Payne said. "They're disappointed. I'm disappointed. We have to understand that.
"In the locker room we talked about what the game is. This game is basically life or death, or you can't pursue your careers and be the players that you want to be.
"The players that make it long term in this game, that make money in this game, it's a fire inside of you. Every day is, 'How do I get better?' It's not casual.
"And so young players are having to learn that in college. With my guys there's this, 'I want this so bad. I want it.'
"What are you willing to sacrifice to get it. Because the other guy wants it pretty good, too. And that guy today was Hinson, 41."
As a team, Pitt made 15 of 31 shots from distance, outscoring Louisville 45-3 from the three-point line.
He's another number that I had to check twice. Louisville only squeezed 3 turnovers out of the Panthers, none in the final 24 minutes of the game.
Louisville was led by Kaleb Glenn, who scored a career high 17 while Tre White scored 16. Without Clark and Johnson, Louisville got 1 point from its bench -- a free throw from Emmanuel Okorafor in the first half.
Without any leadership in the backcourt, Louisville reverted to its turnover issues from January. The Cards finished with more turnovers (12) than assists (9).
"We're ranked 305th in experience so it's going to be hard for them to understand the consistency that's needed, especially when you're playing without a point guard," Payne said.
"It's the reason I want players that are versatile because from the summer until today I practice every player, one-through-five being able to handle the ball, bring the ball up the court and initiate offense."
Louisville is booked to play four of its final five games at home, where the Cardinals have won two straight. The Cards are only booked for one game next week — a Wednesday visit to the KFC Yum! Center from Notre Dame.
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