Louisville 73, Syracuse 69, Final Score: Cardinals Withstand Late Rally, Win Seventh Straight Over Orange

At the Yum! Center on Saturday, No. 16 Louisville roared to a huge lead over No. 12 Syracuse. The Cardinals nearly saw their lead evaporate as the Orange turned on the jets late, but Rick Pitino’s squad held on for a 73-69 win.
Louisville took a 40-30 lead into halftime, and thanks to a great start to the second half, the Cardinals build their lead to 57-37 at one point. All at once, though, the Cardinals’ three-point shots stopped falling, and Jim Boeheim’s squad began to dominate on both sides of the ball. Louisville saw its lead whittled all the way down to 69-66. but thanks to three fouls in the final minute, the Cardinals were able to eat up the clock.
The Cardinals’ three-point attack was particularly devastating in the first half, but ultimately was not dramatically more effective than Syracuse’s three-point shooting. Louisville’s Kyle Kuric led with 23 points, while Preston Knowles added 22 points, four assists, and four steals. Overall, the Cardinals made 14 more shot attempts, thanks in part to their 12 steals.
With this win, the 19-6 Cardinals move into a tie for third in the Big East with an 8-4 conference record. 20-6 Syracuse, meanwhile, tumbles down the crowded Big East standings with a 7-6 record.

Stay tuned to this StoryStream for updates. And to follow along with fans, check out our Louisville blog, Card Chronicle, and our Syracuse blog, Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician.