In a disappointing home loss, the Louisville men’s basketball team were unable to secure crucial rebounds, resulting in their 83-69 defeat against the No. 12 Duke team at the KFC Yum! Center. The Cardinals struggled on the boards, being outrebounded 43-28, with 15 of those rebounds turning into second-chance points for the Blue Devils.
Head coach Kenny Payne acknowledged some positive aspects of the game, stating, “I thought there were segments of the game where we showed our growth. We showed that we can play with a team like Duke.” However, he highlighted two key issues that stood out: the Cardinals allowed 16 second-chance points in the second half and made poor decisions regarding time and score. Payne emphasized the need for the team to stay focused and not shoot themselves in the foot, especially when facing a top-ranked opponent like Duke.
Duke took control early in the game, building a significant 38-20 lead with 5:25 remaining in the first half following a 9-0 run. Louisville managed to reduce the deficit to 45-34 by halftime and opened the second half with a 10-2 run, bringing them within three points at 47-44 with 15:21 left in the game. However, for every push the Cardinals made, the Blue Devils had a response.
Louisville’s last threat came when they narrowed the gap to 65-60 with 7:38 remaining. However, Duke quickly countered with a 3-pointer from Tyrese Proctor and a putback by Mark Mitchell, establishing a comfortable lead once again.
Proctor led the game in scoring with 24 points off the bench for Duke, while Mitchell contributed 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Kyle Filipowski added 17 points and 15 boards. Louisville’s junior forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield delivered a commendable performance with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Redshirt sophomore guard/forward Mike James, sophomore guard Skyy Clark, and freshman guard Ty-Laur Johnson also reached double figures, scoring 13, 13, and 10 points, respectively.
Looking ahead, the Cardinals will stay home to face Virginia at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday. The game will be televised on The CW.
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