University of Louisville Men's Basketball Post-Game Notes

Dec. 29, 2007

Recap | Box Score | Quotes | AP Action Photos

Today's matchup versus Iona head coach Kevin Willard is the second of three for head coach Rick Pitino versus one of his former assistant coaches. With the win, Pitino is 21-4 all-time in games against former assistant coaches.

Pitino is 53-8 all-time in the month of December in his seven seasons with the Cardinals and is now 71-15 against non-conference foes.

The Cardinals, who entered the game ranked 21st in the nation in field goal percentage defense, held Iona to just 19.0 percent shooting from the floor. Iona entered the game leading the MAAC with a 48.5 shooting percentage. It marked the first time since UNLV shot 25.0 percent that Uof L held an opponent to less than 30 percent shooting from the field. U of L has now held five opponents under 37 percent shooting from the floor this season.

Sophomore Derrick Caracter set a new career-high with six blocked shots, besting his old mark of four set earlier this season against Marshall on 12/18/07.

Caracter also recorded this third career double-double and the second this season with 13 points and 11 rebounds in the win over Iona.

Sophomore Jerry Smith matched his career-high with four steals. He also had four thefts on 1/13/07 versus Providence.

The 36 points scored by Iona is the lowest total allowed by a Louisville team since the Cards' 42-31 win over Cincinnati on March 7, 1981 in the Metro Conference Tournament. The total is also tied for the second-lowest amount allowed by a Rick Pitino coached team matching the total scored by Southwest Texas State on Dec. 10, 1991 in a 82-36 loss at Kentucky. The lowest total ever allowed by a Pitino-led team is 32 in UK's 96-32 win over Morehead State on Dec. 16, 1995.

Louisville held Iona to 16 points in the first half, which was the first time the Cardinals held an opponent to less than 20 points in a half since holding Pitt to 19 on 2/12/07.

Junior forward Terrance Williams scored a season-high 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting and also tied a season-high with four trifectas. His previous season-best was 20 points against Old Dominion on 1/24/07

This marked the eighth time in 12 games that the Cardinals shot better in the second half than the first.

The Cardinals tied a season-high with 13 blocked shots. They also blocked 13 against Marshall on 12/18/07.

University of Louisville Athletics