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The Cardinals are coming into this game badly needing a win after 2 straight losses at home to keep from starting the season 0-3, especially since they have had home court advantage. Louisville is coming into this game with 2 regular season loses and 1 exhibition loss. The Cards enter this game 254th in scoring offense with 69 points per game on the season. Louisville comes into this game 284th in the country in rebounding at 33.5 per contest. Free throws have to be a emphasis this game to come out with a W as the cards have been out attempted 33-22 at the line on the season. Louisville obviously doesn’t have an elite offense and I don’t foresee them pulling away from Appalachian State this game.
Appalachian State is coming into this game with a 79-74 overtime win against North Carolina Central. The Mountaineers have put up and average of 110.5 points per game this season so far coming in 3rd in the nation in scoring offense. They are averaging 45 rebounds per game (25th) and 22.5 assists a night. The Mountaineers offense shouldn’t have any issues running up the score on the Cards.
At the tip off of the game it was clear that Card Nation was no there in any capacity at all to root on their team, the seats on the lower level were under half capacity and the upper level looked like a ghost town. The first half was dominated by Appalachian State from the beginning by going on a 5-0 run to start the game. They went on 3 different 5 point runs against the Cards along with a 6-point run. The Mountaineers lead in every stat in the half with 48% field goal shooting, 33% 3 pointers, and 80% from the line. App State kept the lead through the whole 1st half with a score of 38-25.
The 2nd Half the Cards made several attempts at making up their deficit with a 7-0 run and 2 different 6-0 runs. Louisville started becoming in foul trouble with J. Withers committing his 4th foul of the game with 15:22 left. They led the Mountaineers in every stat for the half with 52% field goals, 40% 3-point shooting, and 70% from the line. Despite their attempts to get ahead Louisville never was able to take the lead during the entire 40 minutes of the game. With a failed attempt of what would have been a game winning shot, the Cards were not able to get the final layup out of their hands before the buzzer could sound. Appalachian State hands Louisville yet another loss on the season beating them by 1 point 61-60.
Louisville has now lost 3 straight games by 1 point to start off their season and this was their 4th straight conference loss by 1 point including their last conference game in the prior season. The Cards will next be playing in Maui, Hawaii in the Jim Maui Invitational against Arkansas in what could only be assumed yet another loss. Something has gone terribly wrong with Louisville Men’s Basketball.
