Pitino’s Cardinals Strike Back

Email to a friend Permalink

Thursday, March 03, 2011

Scott Cordischi, GoLocalProv Sports Editor

A sweep of 11th-ranked Louisville just wasn’t in the Cards.

Almost 6 weeks ago, the PC Friars had one of the few high points of their otherwise disappointing season when they upset the Cardinals 72-67 at the Dunk. Rick Pitino’s team wasn’t about to let that happen again as Louisville rolled over PC 87-60 at the KFC-Yum Center in Kentucky.

PC started strong racing out to a 16-9 lead just over 4 minutes in. The Friars led 18-12 when Pitino called a timeout with 12:44 remaining in the first half. Louisville then turned up the defensive pressure on the Friars outscoring PC 33-17 for the remainder of the half to take a 45-35 lead at the break.

PC didn’t put up much of a fight in the second half getting outscored 42-25 in the game’s final 20 minutes. The Cardinals forced 18 Friar turnover’s leading to 25 points.

The Cards also dominated the paint outscoring PC 54-34 and finished with 27 second chance points to just 11 for the Friars.

PC coach Keno Davis received a technical foul in the second half for arguing with the refs but it did little to inspire his team.

The Big East’s leading scorer Marshon Brooks was held to just 12 points on 3-13 shooting from the field. Vincent Council led the Friars with 20 points but he had 0 assists and 6 turnovers.

Louisville was paced by Kyle Kuric’s 25 points and 9 rebounds. Preston Knowles has 20 points and 10 rebounds. Peyton Siva had only 5 points. But the Cardinals’ guard had 6 rebounds 7 assists and only 1 turnover.

Louisville (23-7, 12-5), who was picked to finish 8th in the Big East preseason poll, clinched a spot in the top 4 of the Big East and a double-bye at next week’s Big East Tournament in New York.

Providence College (14-16, 3-14) is tied with South Florida for 14th place in the Big East ahead of only DePaul in the conference standings. PC has now lost 7 in a row and finishes the season (0-10) on the road.

The Friars wrap up the regular season at home on Saturday when they host Rutgers on Senior Day. Marshon Brooks and Ray Hall will be honored before the game at the Dunk.