In a disappointing loss, Louisville men’s basketball struggled with their shooting and fell to Virginia by a score of 77-53. Despite shooting well from inside the arc, the Cardinals struggled from long range, going 6 of 25 on the night. The team was also shorthanded, with only seven scholarship players available.
UofL head coach Kenny Payne expressed his desire for the team to be more aggressive and focused on attacking. He acknowledged the team’s lack of movement and ball rotation, leading to settling for jump shots against Virginia’s disciplined defense. Payne emphasized the need for better ball movement and avoiding settling for jump shots against such a formidable opponent.
The Cardinals had a brief early lead of 5-2, but Virginia quickly responded with a 7-0 run and never trailed again. Louisville managed to reduce the double-digit deficit to 26-20 thanks to a basket by guard/forward Mike James. However, the Cavaliers went on a 9-0 run and extended their lead to 37-22 by halftime.
Louisville made a promising start in the second half, scoring the first four points to cut the deficit to 11. However, Virginia pushed their lead to 24 in the closing minutes, ultimately securing the victory. The Cavaliers shot 52% from the field, and Isaac McKneely led their scoring with 18 points.
Freshman guard/forward Curtis Williams was the leading scorer for Louisville, finishing with 14 points. He made 4 of his 10 attempts from behind the arc, while the rest of the team struggled, going just 2 of 15. James also contributed with 11 points.
Looking ahead, Louisville will return home to face Pitt at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday at the KFC Yum! Center. The game will be televised on The CW.
