Caveat Emptor: Your venerable Cardinal chronicler takes no responsibility if what you read makes zero sense, nor for any of the typos which may be contained herein.
My fingers have the hippy hippy shakes.
I have skipped a light fandango, turned cartwheels ‘cross the floor to get to my keyboard. I am exhausted.
Because these are the afternoons fans pray for.
I rarely reference betting lines, but . . .
. . . for some unfathomable reason, the Louisville Cardinals, staggering to the finish line of the regular season, hobbled by injury and illness, opened as a one and a half point favorite.
Which soon experienced a three point flip to + 1.5.
Well, ladies and gents, U of L was a toke, an Adrian Wooley trey and a pair of Ryan Conwell FTs over the line.
Louisville, fashioning its best effort of the campaign bested surging Miami, winners of 9 of their last 11.
In a game with fatigue factoring in and marksmanship reminiscent of a biathlon, U of L outshot a similarly en fuego Miami squad.
In the opening half, U of L was 18/29 (62%) and 9/15 (60%) from South Beach. The Hurricanes themselves hit 55% from the field and had cut the smokin’ Cardinals once 12 point advantage to four.
Playing maturely, to the intermission buzzer, the Cards sandwiched a McThreely, and deuces by Wooley and Conwell around a lone Miami tally for 46-37 lead at the break.
After halftime, the Cardinals continued to answer every Miami foray, maintaing measure . . .
. . . until 3:48 was left. When the home team, newly in the Top 25, forged ahead 79-78. And then by 81-78.
Lady luck showed up in Cardinal gear.
A missed McKneely J was tipped in by a dude from the U.
Wooley’s pair of FTs was answered with triple.
Oh, I’m too nervous still to go through the whole sequence.
My point. Louisville surrendered its advantage four times, had an absolutely horrible possession ending with a shot clock giveaway at :51, until with eighteen seconds remaining, Adrian Wooley bullseyed a three for an 89-87 advantage.
Which they did not relinquish.
There was strategy, kids.
Half of U of L’s makes before the break were from beyond the arc.
In the 2d, a dozen of the Cards’ 15 makes were at the rim or pull up Js in the paint.
It’s been awhile, my memory is foggy, but I think they call those “mid range.”
Credit Pat Kelsey. The offensive tweak in the 2d was obviously by design.
U of L was outscored by 13 on second chance points. By five at the line. By five off the bench.
Because they continually responded when peril was present.
Ryan Conwell had a huge opening stanza with 18 total, 7/12 from the field, 4/7 bombs.
But didn’t force it in the second, attempting only a couple more FGs.
He was 6/6 at the line, led U of L with 24.
Isaac McKneely was magnificent, his 15 points came with but two triples.
His four boards tied for best for Louisville with the Player of the Game.
That would be Adrian Wooley who also had four, along with 15 points. Six (6) assists. NO turnovers.
And, you know, the Shot of the Season.
Do I ever not mention J’Vonne Hadley?
He was the rudder with 16 on 6/8 shooting.
Louisville wobbled, but did not falter.
Can you tell I’m pumped?
Enough. My fingers are still shaking.
If I missed something you consider important, sorry.
Feel free to fill in the blanks below.