How it happened: Louisville mixes it up, pounds Syracuse
Change was coming for Louisville basketball after back-to-back road losses.
Which is exactly what Cardinals fans saw when head coach Pat Kelsey started Greek forward Vangelis Zougris for the first time this season in the 77-62 win over Syracuse.
It wasn’t a particularly bold decision, but rather a message of what Kelsey emphasized between games: the little things, like playing hard and toughness.
The Cardinals were without star freshman point guard Mikel Brown Jr., who missed his 10th game of the season after not playing in the final eight-plus minutes of Saturday’s loss to Clemson.
On Tuesday night, Louisville went into the locker room holding the Orange to under 28.0 percent shooting, a 0-of-11 clip from distance, and seven turnovers to two assists. The Cardinals didn’t exactly get off to a scorching start from the field, missing five of their first six shots after tip, none of which came from behind the 3-point line. A change in emphasis was clear, as Louisville quickly carved up the Orange for easy drive and kick opportunities.
It wasn’t just on the offensive end where the Cardinals changed course from the previous two performances. Defensively, Kelsey’s guards met the challenge, coming out extremely physical and relentless at the point of attack.
Senior guard Ryan Conwell was both his team’s most aggressive shot taker and defender, setting the tone with his ability to switch and guard multiple positions and play with active hands. The 6-foot-3 scorer attempted 20 field goals, totaling a team-best 23 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. Without Brown in the lineup, Adrian Wooley got his second consecutvive and alongside backup point guard Kobe Rodgers, both held their own against a talented Syracuse perimeter. Wooley came on and off the floor with cramps, but still was effective for eight points and seven rebounds.
After leading by as many as 24, the Orange cut Louisville’s lead to 11 in the second half, but a quick Aly Khalifa substitution and decision to put him in the middle of the zone, and the Cards slammed the door in the final minutes.
J’Vonne Hadley was playing in his final game in the KFC Yum! Center and had a very Hadley-esque night. The sixth-year senior was efficient, 7-of-9 from the field, and made all three of his 3-point attempts. Hadley tallied 19 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
The Cardinals, 21-9 and 10-7 in the ACC, will now travel and face Miami (FL) on Saturday for the final game of the regular season.
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