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Louisville gradually hits stride to open defense

 
Published Nov. 10, 2013

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The emotion of raising a national championship banner combined with replacing two key players from the team that won the title had No. 3 Louisville in a close game for 33 minutes against the College of Charleston on Saturday.

Then came the boom.

The Cardinals outscored Charleston 22-3 over the final 6:41 to pull away to a 70-48 victory in the first game of their national championship defense.

"Our quality, that 'boom' quality that we had last year, came out again in the second half because we played like starving dogs," Louisville coach Rick Pitino said.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski saw it when Louisville shook off the grief of losing teammate Kevin Ware to a broken leg and ripped off a 13-2 second-half run that pushed the Cardinals to the Final Four.

"I thought we had a chance there, and then, boom," Krzyzewski said after the Midwest Region final last season. "That's what they do to teams."

Louisville pulled off similar comebacks against Wichita State and Michigan to earn the school's third national title in April. It unveiled the championship banner for those efforts before Saturday's game but was shaky at the start following the ceremony that Pitino wrapped up.

"We are very much like the Green Bay Packers. We are owned by our fans," he said, choked up in the moment.

Preseason All-America Russ Smith led Louisville with 21 points and five assists. He said while the pregame pageantry was "special," it "threw everything out of rhythm."

"We just had to kind of kick the rust off," Smith said. "I'm kind of happy we got back into playing the way we know how to play."

That style — pressure basketball on defense and attacking the rim on offense — was on display as Louisville's spurt put the Cougars away late.

"It kind of just felt like last year when we kind of just boomed people," said Stephan Van Treese, a fifth-year senior. "We just kept it going. It was awesome; the crowd really got into it."

Van Treese had six points and seven rebounds, all in the second half, after picking up two fouls in the first 3:10. Freshman Mangok Mathiang added seven points and 10 rebounds in his college debut.

They were the players trying to replace Gorgui Dieng, now with the NBA's Timberwolves, at center.

"That was great play and what we need from the (No.) 5 spot," Pitino said. "We need hungry hustle and they gave it to us."

NO. 11 OHIO ST. 89, MORGAN ST. 50: Shannon Scott scored a career-high 16 and LaQuinton Ross, also starting for the first time as a junior, had 14 points and a career-best 11 rebounds to lead the host Buckeyes in their opener.

NO. 15 GONZAGA 100, BRYANT 76: Sam Dower had 21 points and 17 rebounds to lead the host Bulldogs in their opener.

NO. 16 WICHITA ST. 93, EMPORIA ST. 50: Cleanthony Early scored 21 and Ron Baker added 17 to lead the host Shockers past the Division II Hornets in their first game since their Final Four appearance.

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