Louisville didn’t just beat Morehead State on Saturday. It steamrolled the Eagles from start to finish and walked out with a 107-57 win that was never really in doubt.
The Cardinals were already up 46-33 at halftime, then came out of the break and immediately put the game out of reach. Louisville scored on its first three possessions of the second half, and by the time Morehead State finally got its first basket after halftime with 17:49 left, the margin had already stretched to 53-35. The Eagles did not score again until 6:48 remained, and in that span the Cardinals ripped off 33 straight points.
That kind of control showed up everywhere, but especially on the glass. Louisville finished with 59 rebounds, two more than Morehead State scored points. It was the kind of one-sided afternoon that made the 2011 NCAA Regional comparison feel like a joke.
The scoring was spread around, too. Seven Cardinals reached double figures, led by Obi Ekezie’s 20 points and Karter Knox’s 15. Will Hanke also had a moment worth remembering, scoring on a nifty up and under the first time he touched the ball.
Ekezie did plenty more than score. He pulled down 13 rebounds, while Flory Bidunga added seven.
Four Louisville players finished with six boards, including Isaac Ellis, and a couple more grabbed five. It was a full-team effort, the kind where everybody who stepped on the floor seemed to leave a mark.
Louisville’s ball movement stood out as well. The Cardinals finished with 21 assists, a sign of a group that was moving the ball and sharing the load rather than forcing much of anything.
Alvaro Folgueiras set the tone on the first possession of the second half with a skip pass to Jackson Shelstad for a wide-open three, and he finished with a team-high six assists. Three of those came during Louisville’s 11-2 run to open the half.
There were still a few things worth watching beyond the final score. Louisville went 20-for-28 at the free-throw line, a number that looked solid enough on paper but may not tell the full story. Seth Trimble, not Chucky Hepburn, was the one at the stripe in the note that stood out, and free throws could become an issue for this group if the wrong players keep getting hacked.
Flory Bidunga also showed a tendency to slap and reach at the ball, something that could matter if foul trouble shows up in a bigger game. Karter Knox, meanwhile, kept flashing a scorer’s mentality.
Even with a few early turnovers - Louisville had four eight minutes into the game - the Cardinals settled in and only turned it over three more times the rest of the way. De’Shayne Montgomery’s stint on the IR has opened the door for Isaac Ellis to get more minutes early, and he made the most of them.
All told, it was the kind of afternoon Louisville fans can file under easy, clean, and encouraging. A walkover, yes. But one with plenty of positive signs.
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Memphis Faces An Early Test That Could Say A Lot
Saturdays college basketball slate brings a handful of early-season matchups worth watching, and for Louisville fans, the most relevant one is the visit from Morehead State. The card also includes Maryland at Georgetown, VCU at Memphis and Colgate against Drexel, with the preview noting the long-running edge to the Maryland-Georgetown rivalry and offering broadcast details for fans tracking the days action.
Memphis gets one of the more meaningful tests on the schedule against VCU, a game that should tell a lot about where the Tigers stand this early. With several other games and tip times listed for viewers to check through official schedules, the day has the feel of a useful measuring stick across the board, including in Louisville, where the Cardinals will be looking to handle business at home while keeping an eye on how the rest of the slate unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Faces A Troubling Receiver Question Before Georgia Tech
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For a team trying to keep its momentum, losing a player like McCoy changes the feel of the matchup before it even kicks off. Louisville will have to lean on its remaining options and adjust on the fly, all while balancing a week that has already brought plenty of attention across the program, from footballs injury concerns to basketball notes involving former Cardinal Mikel Brown Jr. and coach Pat Kelseys push for more consistency. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Has A Big Chance To Flex Its ACC Identity Again
Louisville gets another chance to reinforce what it has become in the ACC when Georgia Tech comes to town in Week 10. At 5-3 and riding a three-game winning streak, the Cardinals have steadied themselves after an uneven start, and the matchup sets up well for a team that has leaned on a physical, productive ground game led by Isaac Brown.
Georgia Tech arrives in a rough spot, having dropped three straight while trying to sort out its defensive issues, which is part of why Louisville is favored by two touchdowns. For the Cardinals, this is the kind of game that can say plenty about where they stand in the league hierarchy, especially if they can keep controlling the line of scrimmage and make another clean statement at home. [Read more 🡒]