Louisville's Basketball Struggle Against Duke's Dominance
Early Hot Start and Subsequent Collapse
At the outset, Louisville seemed poised to upset the odds. They burst onto the court with a blazing shooting start, going up 30 - 16 just over 11 minutes into the game. The Cardinals' accuracy from the field and three-point line was remarkable, draining 11 of their first 17 attempts and eight of their first 11 three-point tries.
However, Duke's depth advantage due to Louisville's injuries came into play. The Blue Devils outscored the Cardinals 60 - 35 for the rest of the game, turning the tide. Despite their good start, Louisville's shooting percentage dipped to 37.3 and they were only 11 - 31 from deep. Turning the ball over 15 times also led to 20 points for Duke.
Injuries Taking a Toll
Louisville is currently facing a significant setback with three of their top players out. Kasean Pryor (ACL) and Koren Johnson (shoulder) have been ruled out for the rest of the season, and Aboubacar Traore (arm) is not expected back for a few more weeks. This lack of depth has clearly affected their performance on the court.
During the game, the Cardinals struggled to maintain their defensive intensity. Duke shot 45.2 percent despite a subpar three-point performance (8 - 30), and scored 34 points in the paint. UofL only forced seven turnovers and managed just four steals.
Player Performances
Terrence Edwards Jr. led Louisville with 21 points, showing his scoring prowess. Reyne Smith added 13 points and Khani Rooths poured in 10 points. Duke, on the other hand, had four players crack double figures, with No. 1 overall prospect Cooper Flagg leading the way with 20 points.
The first half was a seesaw battle. Louisville's hot shooting gave them a 14 - point lead with just over eight minutes until halftime. But turnovers and a cooling of their shooting allowed Duke to chip away and end the half with a 17 - 7 run, trimming Louisville's lead to 37 - 33.
Second Half Struggles
Louisville kept Duke at bay for most of the second half but couldn't seal the deal. They held Duke to just three for their first 12 shots of the period but could only extend their lead to seven points. Midway through the period, the lack of depth due to injuries became evident as Duke went on an 18 - 2 run, flipping a five - point deficit into an 11 - point lead.
Down the stretch, Duke's shooting prowess took over as they drained 13 of their final 17 shots, while Louisville could only make two of their final 13. This ensured that a Louisville comeback was unlikely.
Next up, Louisville has one more matchup before facing Kentucky. They will welcome UTEP to the KFC Yum! Center on Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 7:00 p.m. EST. Fans will be hoping for a better performance from the Cardinals.
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