In a high-stakes battle on Saturday, the Louisville men’s basketball team fell short and suffered an 89-83 loss to NC State at the KFC Yum! Center. Louisville fought valiantly throughout the game, rallying from an early 12-0 deficit, but ultimately couldn’t come up with the stops needed to secure the victory.
UofL head coach Kenny Payne praised NC State’s performance, acknowledging that he anticipated a tough game against a formidable opponent. He highlighted the importance of defense, emphasizing that failure to defend effectively ultimately led to their defeat. Despite solid offensive statistics, shooting 47% from the field, 53% from beyond the arc, and 76% from the free-throw line, the Cardinals couldn’t overcome their defensive shortcomings.
NC State displayed their dominance right from the start, scoring the first 12 points of the game within the opening four minutes. The Wolfpack managed to extend their lead to 44-30 with just 1:17 remaining in the first half. However, Louisville closed out the half strong, scoring the last five points and reducing their deficit to nine.
The Cardinals came out firing in the second half, embarking on a 9-0 run to trim the lead to two. Freshman wing Curtis Williams attributed their resurgence to a timeout called by Coach Payne, which helped settle the team down and allowed them to regain their rhythm. Williams himself played a crucial role, giving UofL a 55-54 lead with 11:54 left in the game with a clutch 3-pointer.
Despite Williams’ heroics, NC State responded with their own long-range shots to maintain control. A decisive 10-2 run by the Wolfpack pushed their lead back to 75-64 with under six minutes remaining. While Louisville mounted a late rally, scoring 11 unanswered points to make it 83-80, NC State’s DJ Horne sealed the game with a crucial three-point play and two free throws.
Horne emerged as the top scorer of the game, contributing 27 points in 35 minutes off the bench. On the Louisville side, redshirt sophomore guard/forward Mike James led the way with 20 points, marking his third consecutive game scoring 20 or more points. Williams added 15 points, including four 3-pointers, while freshman guard Ty-Laur Johnson contributed 14 points and five assists. Junior forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Looking ahead, the Cardinals will hit the road for their next two games. Their first challenge will be against North Carolina on Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET in Chapel Hill, N.C. Despite the loss, James expressed confidence in the team’s progress, noting improvements on the offensive end. However, the focus will now shift to shoring up their defensive weaknesses in preparation for upcoming matchups against UNC and Wake Forest.
