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Louisville-Wichita State Postgame Notes
April 07, 2013 | Men's Basketball
April 7, 2013
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Louisville Postgame Notes
Louisville 72, Wichita State 68
April 6, 2013
Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Ga. (75,350)
TEAM NOTES
With the win:
- Louisville is now 3-7 in national semifinal contests.
- The Cardinals achieved their 34th victory of the season, setting the school record for wins in a season. The Cardinals' previous high was 33, achieved by the 1979-80 and 2004-05 teams.
- Louisville has been victorious in its last 15 games.
- Louisville is advancing to its third national championship game.
- The Cardinals are now 69-40 all-time in NCAA Tournament games.
- Louisville improved to 46-8 all-time as the higher seed in NCAA Tournament games.
- Head coach Rick Pitino improved his record to 47-16 in NCAA Tournament play.
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- Pitino now has a 23-3 career record as the No. 1 seed.
- Louisville improved its record to 11-2 as a No. 1 seed.
- It marked the senior class' 109th victory to put their record at 109-38. It is tied for the most wins by a senior class in school history (1979-83; 109-26).
- Louisville now owns a 20-5 all-time record against Wichita State.
Louisville's bench outscored Wichita State, 34-9, led by Luke Hancock's 20. It marked the 21st time this season the bench has scored at least 20 points in a game.
Louisville's 34 points from its bench is the most since the Cardinals' bench notched 37 in the 2009 NCAA Tournament against Arizona on March 27 in a 103-64 victory.
Louisville scored just 25 points in the first half, its fewest in an opening period in the NCAA Tournament this season.
The Cardinals turned the ball over just two times in the final period, tying for a season low in a period. Louisville also turned the ball over just twice against the College of Charleston (Dec. 4, 2012; second half) and Providence (Jan. 2, 2013; second half). For the game, the Cardinals' nine turnovers are tied for their second fewest in an NCAA Tournament contest this season (Wichita State; April 6, 2013).
Louisville's nine 3-pointers are the most for the Cardinals in the NCAA Tournament this season. It's the Cardinals highest output for the postseason since knocking down 10 against Villanova in the BIG EAST Tournament.
The Cardinals have now connected on double-digit free throws in 20 games this season.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Russ Smith had 21 points in the victory, giving him 124 for the 2013 NCAA Tournament. That total puts first on the school's NCAA Tournament single-season scoring chart. He passed Darrell Griffith (1980; 116) for the single-season lead.
Currently, Smith is averaging 25 points in the NCAA Tournament and 22.9 for the postseason, which includes BIG EAST Tournament games.
For the season, Smith's 739 points keep him at second on the single-season charts. He still trails Darrell Griffith's 825-point total that was set in the 1979-80 season.
Smith had two steals for the second-straight game in the win, putting him at 15 for this year's NCAA Tournament. His two against Duke put him in the all-time lead. His season total of 83 keeps him at eighth on the single-season charts.
Chane Behanan scored all 10 of his points in the second half, marking his highest point total in this year's NCAA Tournament. His nine rebounds were also a season best in this year's tournament.
Luke Hancock came off the bench and scored 20 points, his second-highest total this season. The junior went 6 of 9 from the field, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range.
Hancock's 20 points off the bench are the most in an NCAA Tournament game since Rakeem Buckles dropped 20 against Cal in the NCAA Tournament first round on March 19, 2010.
Peyton Siva also had a pair of steals in the game, giving him 86 for the year. That mark ties him for second on the single-season charts with Darrell Griffith (1979-80), Tick Rogers (1994-95), and Terrence Williams (2008-09), and puts him just one behind Russ Smith's record.
Peyton Siva totaled three assists in the game, putting his NCAA Tournament career total at 58. He ranks second for NCAA Tournament career assists. Milt Wagner holds the school-record with 69.
Gorgui Dieng blocked two shots in the game to give him 80 for the season. Despite playing in just 32 games this year, passed Samaki Walker (1995-96) for sole possession of seventh in a single season. In this year's NCAA Tournament, Dieng has 12 blocks, which is the third most in a single season in school history. He passed Pervis Ellison's total of 11 in the 1986 tournament.
Siva played in his 143rd career game, a total that is tied for third most in school history with Billy Thompson (1982-86).
