tough loss

The Game started out with a tight score, as both teams were tied at 2-2 before South Carolina went on an 8-2 run to take a 10-4 lead. Kentucky fought back and managed to bring the score within one at 12-11 with a three-pointer from Scherr and a layup by Eniya Russell. However, South Carolina closed out the first quarter with a five-point run, leading 17-13.

Louisville head coach Kenny Payne acknowledged the Hokies’ dominance in the second half, stating, “They took the fight to us, especially in the second half. They’re a well-coached team, hard-fighting team, and hard to beat at home. I thought we did a lot of things well, but at critical times I just thought we made mistakes. Especially in the second half, they shot 48% and made 19 of 23 free throws. To me, that’s the game.”

Quarterback Jack Plummer had a solid performance, completing 24 of his 33 passing attempts for 242 yards and two touchdowns. Plummer spread the ball around, connecting with ten different receivers throughout the game. Running back Jawhar Jordan led the Cardinals’ ground game with 67 rushing yards and two touchdowns, contributing to Louisville’s total of 161 yards rushing.

Kentucky started the game off strong, taking an early 5-2 lead with all five points coming from Tyler. However, Cincinnati quickly bounced back to take an 8-5 lead. The Wildcats managed to score four consecutive points and take a 9-8 lead, but the Bearcats closed out the period with an impressive 8-0 run, giving them a 16-9 lead after the first 10 minutes.

In their last game, Louisville fell to Pitt by a score of 38-21. The Cardinals struggled with turnovers, giving the ball away three times inside the opposition’s 30-yard line. Despite holding a halftime lead of 21-14, they were unable to maintain their momentum and were outscored 24-0 in the second half, resulting in their first loss of the season.