By Mark Bacon
The Louisville Cardinals had to assume they would be involved in a game fraught with many a foul call at Virginia Tech. Their opponent has played with such a style this season, they did, and they spent a good deal of time at the line.
U of L countered by shooting from the three point line, making 12 of 18 shots and getting 29 points on 6 of 7 from three from Damion Lee to hold off the Hokies 91-83 in Cassell Coliseum, Blacksburg, Va. It was the first trip there for Louisville in over 20 years.
- It matched Louisville's best three-point performance on the road in the past 10 seasons, and the Cards needed it. They couldn't do anything with on the defensive end.
- Chinanu Onuaku had two fouls in the first four minutes. Manu earned his third early in the second half. He only scored 14 points (scoring 9 point and grabbing 5 rebounds). However, U of L got big-time shooting (and more) from Lee. They also got 20 second-half points from Trey Lewis, who finished with 22, to improve to 17-3 overall; 6-1 in the ACC.
- "Their strategy was to put Nanu to the bench," Louisville coach Rick Pitino said after the game. "Fortunately for us, Anas (Mahmoud) gave us a big lift and Matz (Stockman) gave us a big lift.” Don't forget Jaylen Johnson, Coach P...
- Louisville has now won four consecutive league games, including back-to-back road victories.
- Tech demonstrated why it has given so many of the ACC's top teams fits this month, making 33 free throws and getting 20-plus points from Jalen Hudson (27), Seth Allen (26) and Zach LeDay (20).
- But Louisville's offense, not defense, was too much. The Cards made 12 3-pointers and had 19 assists on 27 field goals. Lee and Lewis had their season-best scoring efforts.
- "Believe me, we live on defense, but we are not a great defensive team this year," Pitino said. "We are a terrific offensive team." How uncharacteristic!
- Damion Lee came out firing, hitting each of his first six 3-pointers. Nothing but net, too. Lee carried Louisville through a sloppy first half. He got help from Jaylen Johnson and more from Lewis in the second, but Lee was the glue guy throughout the game.
- "Definitely just one of those nights (that) once you see it go in once, the confidence just builds up," Lee said. "I can't really take any credit for that. I give all the credit to my teammates, everybody who was out there just finding me. I managed to be the hot hand."
- Jaylen Johnson was as active as he's been this season, and nearly notched his first career double-double. He finished with career-highs in points (11) and rebounds (nine). He was especially important in the first half, as Chinanu Onuaku, Anas Mahmoud and Ray Spalding each had two fouls, and took their seats on the bench.
- Louisville suffered from the new rules put in place this season and committed 26 at Virginia Tech. A few were questionable, but Louisville's big men made too much contact in the lane and it cost them. Onuaku only played 3:15 in the first half, and he just can't afford to do that in conference play.
- "We played without best player tonight," Pitino said. "I said before the game that they were going to try to put him to the bench, and they did, because (Onuaku) has been getting into trouble with bumping guys and rebounding over the back, and he paid the price tonight."
- The BIG number was 12. As in 12 made 3-pointers for the Cards, a season high. U of L made 10 of them against Grand Canyon and Kennesaw State, but needed 22 and 24 attempts, respectively, in those games.
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