Highlights, Photos & Notes: Louisville 79, Evansville 44
The Cardinals opened up the 2020-21 college basketball season by throttling the Purple Aces at the KFC Yum! Center.
(Photo of Carlik Jones: Michael Clevinger - Atlantic Coast Conference Pool)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Louisville opened up the 2020-21 college basketball season with a commanding 79-44 victory over the Evansville Purple Aces in their season opener at the KFC Yum! Center.
The Atlantic Coast Conference put together a highlight tape of the matchup, which you can see here:
Team Notes:
- Louisville improved to 14-13 all-time against Evansville and 10-3 versus the Aces in Louisville.
- The Cardinals have now won 17 straight season openers and 26 of their last 28.
- UofL has won 20 consecutive home openers and 56 straight home games in the month of November spanning the last 28 years (43-0 in the KFC Yum! Center).
- The 35-point margin of victory was the largest for the Cardinals since Dec. 5, 2018 when they defeated Central Arkansas 86-41.
- The 44 points allowed were the fewest since giving up just 43 in a win over Michigan last December.
- It was the fewest points allowed in a season opener since limiting Morehead State to 41 to open the 2008-09 season.
- Louisville allowed just 16 points in the first half on Wednesday, its lowest first half defensive total since holding Georgia Tech to 16 over the opening 20 minutes on Jan. 19, 2019.
- The Cardinals held a 36-16 lead at half. Louisville held a 20-point lead through 20 minutes just three times during the 2019-20 season (Indiana State 47-26, North Carolina Central 43-19, Clemson 47-26).
- UofL held the Aces to just 29.8 percent (14-for-47) from the field on Wednesday.
- The Cardinals held the opposition below 30 percent shooting three times last season.
- Louisville finished plus-26 (46-18) on the glass in the victory, the largest rebounding advantage for the Cardinals since outrebounding Grand Canyon by 35 (55-20) on Dec. 5, 2015.
- It's the largest margin in a season opener since a plus-30 margin (64-34) versus Northeastern on Nov. 28, 1986.
- UofL closed out the game 31-for-53 (58.5 percent) as a team, its best shooting day since shooting 63 percent against Eastern Kentucky on Dec. 14, 2019.
- The Cardinals did great work around the rim, scoring 48 points in the point in the win.
- It was the highest output in the paint for UofL since amassing 50 paint points in a win over Bryant on Dec. 11, 2017.
- Carlik Jones, Samuell Williamson, David Johnson, Dre Davis and Jea'Lyn Withers started for the Cardinals in the opener. The quintet had just five previous starts in a Louisville uniform (Johnson 4, Williamson 1).
- Carlik Jones, Brad Colbert, JJ Traynor, Dre Davis, Gabe Wiznitzer, and Jae'Lyn Withers all made their Louisville debuts on Wednesday.
Player Notes:
- Carlik Jones was impressive in his UofL debut finishing with 18 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
- The 18 points are tied for the fifth-most in program history in a Louisville debut.
- Samuell Williamson put up career-best totals of 17 points and five assists, while matching his career high with six rebounds.
- Williamson had three double-digit scoring efforts as a freshman with a previous career-best of 15 points against Indiana State.
- JJ Traynor tallied 11 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting in his collegiate debut.
- Quinn Slazinski scored a career-high 10 points off the bench for the Cardinals.
- Slazinski had just 15 total points in 15 games last season.
Gallery:
NOTE: Photos courtesy of Michael Clevinger via the Atlantic Coast Conference.
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