Louisville-Hofstra Postgame Notes

Nov. 12, 2013

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#3/#3 Louisville 97, Hofstra 69
KFC Yum! Center - Nov. 12, 2013

LOUISVILLE TEAM NOTES

Tuesday's matchup was the first of four games for Louisville in the Basketball Hall of Fame Tipoff. The Cardinals will also host Hartford on Tuesday, Nov. 19 before traveling to Uncasville, Conn., for the final two games of the event.
With the win, Louisville extended its overall winning streak to 18 games matching the school record set in the season-closing run by the 1979-80 NCAA title team. The current winning streak dates back to the five-overtime loss at Notre Dame (104-101) on Feb. 9, 2013.
The Cardinals improved to 2-0 all-time against Hofstra with the only previous meeting coming on Nov. 27, 1997 when Louisville earned a 75-66 win in the first round of the Puerto Rico Shootout in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
Louisville committed just five turnovers in Tuesday's win and has just eight turnovers through the first two games of the season for the fewest total turnovers in any two-game stretch during Pitino's 13 seasons leading the Cardinals.
After Hofstra had cut Louisville's advantage to only five (54-49) during the first five minutes of the second half, the Cardinals surged on a 35-2 run during a 9:19 stretch to extend the lead to 89-51.
The Cardinals had two players score 20 points or more on Tuesday (Russ Smith with 30 and Chris Jones with 20) marking the first time that has occurred since Smith had 21 and Luke Hancock had 20 in the win over Wichita State in the NCAA National Semifinals on April 6, 2013.
The 12 three-pointers for Louisville on Tuesday are the most since connecting for 12 (on 32 attempts) in a 79-55 win over FIU on Dec. 19, 2012.
Louisville had a season-high 19 assists on Tuesday marking the highest total since finishing with 20 against Syracuse in the 78-61 win in the Big East Conference Tournament title game on March 16, 2013 in Madison Square Garden.
The Cardinals were 35-for-68 from the field for a season-high 51.5 percent, the highest field goal percentage since shooting 52.7 percent in the NCAA Elite Eight victory over Duke on March 31, 2013 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The 14 three-point baskets for Hofstra on Tuesday were the most allowed by Louisville since Notre Dame connected for 17 three-pointers in the Cardinals' 89-86 overtime win over the Irish on Feb. 4, 2006 at Freedom Hall.
Louisville was outrebounded for the first time this season (35-34), while last season the Cardinals were 12-2 when outrebounded by their opponent.
Prior to Tuesday's game, Louisville head coach Rick Pitino was honored in a pregame ceremony for his enshrinement into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Sept. 8, 2013 in Springfield, Mass. Pitino is the third UofL representative to become a member of the Hall of Fame joining Denny Crum and Wes Unseld.
Saturday was the 1,699th win all-time for Louisville, which is playing in its 100th season of men's basketball. Overall, the Cardinals are 1,699-869 on the hardwood and rank 12th all-time in wins nationally.

LOUISVILLE PLAYER NOTES

With his 30 points on Tuesday, senior guard Russ Smith moved from 33rd to 32nd on Louisville's career points leaderboard with 1,286 points surpassing Chuck Noble (1,281 points, 1950-54). Smith is seven points behind Larry Williams (1975-79) at No. 31 and eight points behind Jeff Hall (1982-86) at No. 30 on the all-time list.
The 30 points for Smith were one shy of his career high of 31 first accomplished against UMKC on Dec. 8, 2012 and again against Oregon on March 29, 2013.
Smith matched a career high with five three three-pointers (5-for-12) and matched career highs in shots made and attempted going 12-of-22 overall from the field. He also chipped in with five assists, three rebounds and two steals.
Sophomore forward Montrezl Harrell finished one point shy of his career high with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field and 5-for-5 at the free throw line.
Junior guard Chris Jones had his second straight double-figure scoring game finishing with a career-best 20 points on 7-for-13 shooting from the field. He also had a career bests with seven assists and four steals.
In two games as the Cardinals' starting point guard this season, Jones has 12 assists and zero turnovers in 55 minutes.
Freshman guard Terry Rozier scored a career best five points on 2-of-4 shooting from field while pulling down a career best five rebounds and adding a career best three assists in 19 minutes.
Tuesday's game featured the season debuts for senior Luke Hancock (strained Achilles tendon) and junior Chane Behanan (indefinite suspension).
Hancock scored eight points on 2-for-4 shooting from three-pointers and two free throws to go with three rebounds in 15 minutes played.
Behanan had four points on 2-for-4 shooting from the field and one rebound in 14 minutes.

University of Louisville Athletics

Players Mentioned

Chane Behanan

Luke Hancock

Montrezl Harrell

Chris Jones

Terry Rozier

Russ Smith

Russ Smith

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