Louisville defeated by Virginia Tech in ACC opener

In their ACC opener, the Louisville men’s basketball team suffered a tough loss to Virginia Tech, falling 75-68 on the road. The Cardinals started strong, leading by as much as eight in the first half and carrying a one-point advantage at halftime. However, a strong 16-2 run by the Hokies, including an 8-0 spurt at the beginning of the second half, turned the tide in favor of Virginia Tech.

Louisville head coach Kenny Payne acknowledged the Hokies’ dominance in the second half, stating, “They took the fight to us, especially in the second half. They’re a well-coached team, hard-fighting team, and hard to beat at home. I thought we did a lot of things well, but at critical times I just thought we made mistakes. Especially in the second half, they shot 48% and made 19 of 23 free throws. To me, that’s the game.”

The Cardinals started the game with a 10-2 run, fueled by Mike James’ five points. Virginia Tech responded with a 9-0 run to take their first lead at 15-14, but Louisville regained control with consecutive 3-pointers from Skyy Clark and James. At the end of the first half, the Cardinals held a slim 31-30 lead.

In the second half, the Hokies came out strong, scoring eight unanswered points to take the lead. However, Louisville fought back, reclaiming the lead with a four-point play by Ty-Laur Johnson. Johnson later gave the Cardinals their final lead at 48-47 with just under 11 minutes remaining.

However, Virginia Tech maintained their advantage by capitalizing on free throws. Louisville’s Brandon Huntley-Hatfield narrowed the gap to one with two successful free throws, but the Cardinals were unable to regain the lead.

Despite the loss, five Louisville players scored in double figures, with Clark leading the team with 16 points and three assists. Huntley-Hatfield contributed 14 points and nine rebounds, while James recorded 10 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. Johnson and Tre White each added 10 points to the Cardinals’ scoring effort.

Looking ahead, the Cardinals will continue their road trip as they face DePaul next weekend in Chicago. The game is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET on Saturday and will be aired on FS1.