In a thrilling college basketball game, the Louisville Cardinals secured an impressive victory over the New Mexico State Aggies, winning 90-84 in overtime. Louisville showed great resilience, rallying from an eight-point deficit with just 1:18 left in regulation to send the game into overtime.
The Cardinals’ success in this game was largely due to their performance at the free-throw line. They made an outstanding 36 of 49 attempts, drawing 40 fouls from New Mexico State – the most in program history. Head coach Kenny Payne expressed his pride in the team’s achievement, stating, “I’m proud of how they finished at the free-throw line late in the game. I’m proud of the fact that we won the game by being aggressive around the rim.”
Sophomore guard Skyy Clark was a standout player for the Cardinals, scoring a career-high 29 points and converting an impressive 15 of 16 free throws. Clark’s 15 successful free throws were the most by a Cardinal since 2010. His teammate, sophomore guard Tre White, also made a significant contribution with 22 points, six rebounds, and three steals.
The Cardinals started off slow, failing to make a single three-point shot in the first half. However, they compensated with their performance at the free-throw line, making 10 of 14 attempts. Despite trailing by as much as 10 points at halftime, they managed to cut the deficit to 30-28 through a dunk by freshman guard Ty-Laur Johnson.
Louisville faced a tough second half, with New Mexico State controlling the majority of the game. The Aggies led for over 36 minutes, while the Cardinals only held the lead for six minutes. However, Louisville showcased their resilience and fight, with senior forward JJ Traynor emphasizing the team’s improvement, saying, “Last year, we wouldn’t stay together during times like this… We have to continue to make those plays and stay together as best as we can because we have talent. We just have to be together. When we’re together, we’re really good.”
Trailing 73-65 with just 1:18 remaining, Louisville mounted an impressive comeback. Traynor’s three-point play cut the deficit to 73-70, and White’s game-tying shot with 21 seconds left sent the game into overtime. New Mexico State missed crucial free throws, giving Louisville an opportunity to capitalize and secure the victory.
During overtime, Traynor opened with a basket which turned out to be Louisville’s final field goal of the game. From there, they made 15 of 19 free throws, taking advantage of the Aggies’ foul trouble. Six New Mexico State players fouled out, leaving them with just four players on the court.
Overall, Louisville’s performance at the free-throw line proved pivotal in their hard-fought victory. The Cardinals’ next challenge will be against crosstown rivals Bellarmine, with the game scheduled for Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET and will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
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