- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,269,980
- Reaction score
- 59
BUFFALO, NY — Louisville basketball had a chance Saturday to take its biggest step yet under coach Pat Kelsey.
Instead, No. 3-seed Michigan State ended the sixth-seeded Cardinals’ season one win shy of the the program's first trip to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 appearance in 11 years: 77-69 at KeyBank Center in the Round of 32.
With the victory, the Spartans advance to the East Regional — where they will play either No. 2 UConn or No. 7 UCLA next Thursday, March 27, at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
Here are three takeaways from UofL's season-ending loss:
Isaac McKneely has described the life of a sharpshooter as a constant roller-coaster ride. The highs — like his 27 points during Thursday’s 83-79 win over South Florida on 7-for-10 shooting from deep — are electric.
The lows? Not so much.
That was the case for Louisville against Michigan State on Saturday. But, honestly: Give the Cards credit for hanging around despite their 13-for-37 (35.1%) clip from beyond the arc — well under their 52% (13-for-25) outing vs. the Bulls.
Nine of UofL's makes came on 19 attempts during the second half. With the season on the line, it couldn’t afford to go 4 for 18 during the first, especially when there were moments like this: Adrian Wooley passing up an spacious lane to the basket with UofL trailing 27-23 and instead dishing to Kobe Rodgers in the left corner for yet another triple that didn’t fall.
McKneely, Wooley and Ryan Conwell accounted for 11 of the Cards' makes. Conwell finished his final collegiate game with a team-high 21 points, while McKneely closed the book with nine. Wooley added 17.
Michigan State entered Saturday averaging 11.5 turnovers per game.
Louisville ended up forcing 15 — leading to 20 points.
Just one problem: When the Spartans took care of the ball, they had no problem finding the bottom of the net.
MSU finished Saturday averaging 1.185 points per possession on 47.3% shooting. Tom Izzo’s team isn’t known for its shooting, but against the Cards they went 11 for 26 from 3.
The Spartans entered Saturday averaging 7.7 made triples per game.
Assuming Mikel Brown Jr. capitalizes on his NBA draft stock and becomes Louisville's first one-and-one player, the last we saw of the freshman point guard was six consecutive absences due to a reaggravated back injury.
On Tuesday, after the Cards announced via statement Brown had been ruled out of both possible games here in Buffalo, the 6-foot-5 Florida native left the door open regarding Saturday.
Kelsey, however, quickly squashed that notion — and kept the focus after his first NCAA Tournament win as a head coach on the guys who were gutting it out on the court.
But it has to be said at least once more this season: UofL was a completely different team when Brown was available, averaging 6.3 more points per 40 minutes and shooting 4% better from 3. His ability to get downhill and find open teammates would have been really useful against Michigan State's stout defense.
Reach Louisville men's basketball reporter Brooks Holton at [email protected] and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville vs Michigan State, UofL out in March Madness second round
Continue reading...
Instead, No. 3-seed Michigan State ended the sixth-seeded Cardinals’ season one win shy of the the program's first trip to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 appearance in 11 years: 77-69 at KeyBank Center in the Round of 32.
With the victory, the Spartans advance to the East Regional — where they will play either No. 2 UConn or No. 7 UCLA next Thursday, March 27, at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
Here are three takeaways from UofL's season-ending loss:
The 3s weren’t falling for Louisville
Isaac McKneely has described the life of a sharpshooter as a constant roller-coaster ride. The highs — like his 27 points during Thursday’s 83-79 win over South Florida on 7-for-10 shooting from deep — are electric.
The lows? Not so much.
That was the case for Louisville against Michigan State on Saturday. But, honestly: Give the Cards credit for hanging around despite their 13-for-37 (35.1%) clip from beyond the arc — well under their 52% (13-for-25) outing vs. the Bulls.
Nine of UofL's makes came on 19 attempts during the second half. With the season on the line, it couldn’t afford to go 4 for 18 during the first, especially when there were moments like this: Adrian Wooley passing up an spacious lane to the basket with UofL trailing 27-23 and instead dishing to Kobe Rodgers in the left corner for yet another triple that didn’t fall.
McKneely, Wooley and Ryan Conwell accounted for 11 of the Cards' makes. Conwell finished his final collegiate game with a team-high 21 points, while McKneely closed the book with nine. Wooley added 17.
Louisville’s defense was opportunistic but inefficient
Michigan State entered Saturday averaging 11.5 turnovers per game.
Louisville ended up forcing 15 — leading to 20 points.
Just one problem: When the Spartans took care of the ball, they had no problem finding the bottom of the net.
MSU finished Saturday averaging 1.185 points per possession on 47.3% shooting. Tom Izzo’s team isn’t known for its shooting, but against the Cards they went 11 for 26 from 3.
The Spartans entered Saturday averaging 7.7 made triples per game.
Louisville missed Mikel Brown Jr., who leaves a complicated legacy
Assuming Mikel Brown Jr. capitalizes on his NBA draft stock and becomes Louisville's first one-and-one player, the last we saw of the freshman point guard was six consecutive absences due to a reaggravated back injury.
On Tuesday, after the Cards announced via statement Brown had been ruled out of both possible games here in Buffalo, the 6-foot-5 Florida native left the door open regarding Saturday.
Kelsey, however, quickly squashed that notion — and kept the focus after his first NCAA Tournament win as a head coach on the guys who were gutting it out on the court.
But it has to be said at least once more this season: UofL was a completely different team when Brown was available, averaging 6.3 more points per 40 minutes and shooting 4% better from 3. His ability to get downhill and find open teammates would have been really useful against Michigan State's stout defense.
Reach Louisville men's basketball reporter Brooks Holton at [email protected] and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville vs Michigan State, UofL out in March Madness second round
Continue reading...
