Gameday Live Blog/Open Thread: Cardinals @ Cavaliers

Good afternoon from John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, VA, where the Louisville Cardinals (24-6, 15-4 ACC) will be taking on the Virginia Cavaliers (22-7, 14-5 ACC) in their final game of the 2020 regular season.

The Cards are attempting their first regular season sweep over the Cavaliers since joining the ACC in the 2014-15 athletic season. With a win the Cards will also clinch a share of the ACC regular season title, and a loss by FSU as well will clinch it outright.

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Tipoff is set for 4:00pm EST, and you can catch the game on ESPN.

PREGAME

Betting Line: Virginia -1.5 (BetOnline.ag)

Game Day Officials: Ron Groover, Tony Henderson, Clarence Armstrong

All-Time Series: Virginia leads 15-5

Probable Starters:

- Louisville Cardinals

G David Johnson

G Fresh Kimble

F Jordan Nwora

F Dwayne Sutton

C Steven Enoch

- Virginia Cavaliers

G Kihei Clark

G Braxton Key

G Tomas Woldentensae

G Casey Morsell

F Mamadi Diakite

Personnel Update: Louisville junior forward/center Malik Williams is "doubtful" today vs. Virginia (ankle). Freshman Aidan Igiehon is not dressed and will not play. Malik Williams had a boot on to start pregame warmups, but now is warming up without it.

Game Time Update: Steven Enoch is indeed starting in place of the injured Malik Williams. UVA's Jay Huff also cracking the starting five in hopes of taking advantage of Williams' absence.

FIRST HALF:

20:00: Opening tip won by UVA.

19:20: Both teams miss their opening shots.

18:51: Mamadi Diakite makes the first basket of the game.

18:29: Diakite also commits the first foul of the game on a Jordan Nwora drive.

17:53: UVA hits their second bucket of the game.

17:30: The Cards are now on the board thanks to a dunk from Steven Enoch.

16:27: Third UVA basket for the third different player.

15:54: A foul on Sutton prompts the first media timeout. Cards are getting some decent looks, just not having the shots fall as they are 1-4 from the field. On the other side, UVA is 3-5 on their shot attempts The Cards trail 6-2.

15:54: Ryan McMahon is the first sub of the game.

14:35: Enoch leaves the post to drain Louisville's first three-pointer.

14:06: UVA has missed their last 4 shot attempts.

13:54: A three by McMahon seizes UofL's first lead of the game.

12:48: The shooting woes for the Hoos continue as they have missed their last 6 attempts.

12:27: Meanwhile the Cards continue their hot streak, and a jumper from Sutton puts them on an 8-0 run.

12:11: Malik Williams checks in.

11:41: Diakite slams it home to break the UVA cold streak but Nwora responds with a three.

11:11: Another Nwora three from deep doubles up the UofL lead to 16-8.

10:37: Second media timeout. The Cards are on a 14-2 run while UVa has made just 1 of their last 8 attempts. Cards lead the rebound battle 9-6 and are now shooting 6-12. Hoos are just 4-13.

9:43: UVA commits their first turnover of the game.

9:08: Neither team can get much going as UofL has not scored in over 2 minutes and UVA has hit just 2 of their last 10.

8:43: UVA hits their first three of the game. Cuts the UofL lead to just 3.

7:43: Samuell Williamson's first bucket extends UofL's lead to 5.

7:26: Third media timeout. Malik Williams got some early playing time but doesn't seem 100%. Strolling very gingerly up and down the court and is 0-2 from the field. Other than that, offense has become rather stagnant for both teams. Cards up 18-13.

6:58: Nwora throws it to Enoch for an alley oop.

5:55: Jay Huff returns the favor and posterizes Sutton for the foul.

5:51: Chris Mack receives a technical foul for arguing about Diakite's positioning on the Huff free throw. Tie game at 20 after free throws.

5:27: Enoch tips the putback to give the Cards the lead again. He has a game high 9 points.

4:37: UofL holds the ball too long and gets the shot clock violation.

3:49: UVA is now on a 12-2 run and have hit 4 of their last 5 shot attempts.

3:22: Enoch once again punishes the Hoos down low with his 5th bucket of the game. He has 11.

2:47: Last media timeout of the half. The Chris Mack technical foul was a slight momentum swing as it enabled UVA to go on a sizable run. However Steven Enoch continues to step up in a huge way and is keeping the Cards in the game. He has 11 points on 5-6 shooting.

2:19: UVA gets fouled and hits a pair of free throws.

1:41: A fadeaway jumper from Kihei Clark extends UVA's lead to 5.

HALF: Virginia 31, Louisville 24.

Stats at the Half:

SECOND HALF:

19:23: Like the first half, with teams miss their opening shots of the second half.

18:54: Kihei Clark gives UVA their biggest lead of the game with a jumper to give him 13 points on 4-8 shooting. Cavs lead 33-24.

17:21: Diakite makes it a double digit lead for the Hoos.

16:46: Jordan Nwora hits a pair of free throws but Jay Huff responds with a jumper.

15:56: David Johnson hits UofL's first second half bucket.

15:37: First media timeout. It's not an ideal start to Louisville's comeback attempt, as they are just 1-6 to start the second half, missing their first five. UVA leads 37-28.

15:20: David Johnson commits UofL's 10th turnover.

14:56: UVA keeps up with their offense and extends their lead to 12 thanks to Diakite again. He is one of three Cavs with double digits.

13:39: Dwayne Sutton goes 1/2 at the free throw line.

13:20: UVA's Woldentensae gets his first bucket of the game with a three pointer.

13:05: Ryan McMahon gets fouled on a three point attempt and hits all three at the charity stripe.

12:01: Malik Williams commits an ill-advised turnover as the game heads to the third media timeout of the half. Cards have now amassed 11 of them and have surrendered 16 points off turnovers to the Hoos.

10:39: Dwayne Sutton replaces Malik Williams and Chris Mack opts for a small lineup.

9:55: Nwora drains a three for his first points of the second half and Chris Mack calls a timeout. Cards cut the deficit to single digits and the Hoos lead is now just 47-38.

8:19: Nwora cuts the deficit to 7 with a layup.

8:05: The lead goes back out to 9 with a pair of UVA free throws.

7:48: Nwora is willing his team back into it as he drain a three to cut the lead to six. He now has a game high 16 points on 5-15 shooting but 4-8 from beyond the arc.

7:04: Another bucket by Nwora gives him his 10th point in a row. Cards now down 49-45.

5:41: Tony Bennett calls a timeout after Ryan McMahon drains a three. Louisville is on an 8-0 run while the Cavs have hit just 1 of their last 7 shots. Cards now trails by just 1.

5:12: Diakite hits a layup but Darius Perry hits a three to tie the game at 51. Cards have now hit 5 of their last 6.

2:37: The Cards are on a 19-6 run to tie the game at 51. Louisville has hit 5 of their last 6. While they haven't scored in 2:35, they have also held UVA scoreless over 2:46.

1:48: Fresh Kimble has missed his last 4 shots.

1:46: Mamadi Diakite goes 1/2 at the line.

1:07: UVA turns the ball over after an official review.

0:51: Jay Huff blocks the shot for Louisville's fifth straight empty possession.

0:25: Cards have missed their last 6 shots.

Final: Virginia 56, Louisville 51.

Full Stats: