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University of Louisville
EAST CAROLINA
Men's Basketball Slams East Carolina, 75-42
February 19, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Feb 19, 2002
Box Score?|? Quotes?|? Notes |
By CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Sophomore reserve Simeon Naydenov set his career high for the second time in three games, scoring 25 points Tuesday night to lead Louisville to a 75-42 win over East Carolina.
Reece Gaines added 15 for the Cardinals (15-10, 6-7 Conference USA), who won for just the fourth time in 10 games since an 87-77 loss to the Pirates in Greenville on Jan. 16.
Naydenov, a 6-foot-7 Bulgarian, was 8-of-12, including a career-best five from 3-point range. Naydenov's previous career high - 20 points - came in a 76-72 win at DePaul last Tuesday.
The Pirates (10-16, 3-10) started 4-of-7 from the floor and led 8-2, but Louisville's defense tightened after that, giving up only two field goals the rest of the first half.
The Cardinals started the second half with a 9-0 run to extend a 12-point halftime lead to 21.
Kenyatta Brown's jumper from the free-throw line ended a nine-minute field-goal drought for East Carolina and cut Louisville's lead to 39-20.
Naydenov answered with a 3-pointer to trigger the decisive Cardinals' spurt.
Gaines made his first 3-pointer in six tries with 14:17 left in the game and Naydenov swished his fourth 3-pointer of the game 30 seconds later to extend the lead to 48-23.
Moussa Badiane hit a baseline shot with 12:58 remaining, but Naydenov sank his fifth 3-pointer with 11:53 left to cap a 9-2 burst and give Louisville a 51-25 lead.
Brown scored 13 to lead the Pirates.
