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University of Louisville
3-0
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NORTH FLORIDA
3-1
Louisville Uses Size, Defense to Rout North Florida 89-61
November 21, 2015 | Men's Basketball
Freshman Ray Spalding registers first double-double with 18 points, 12 rebounds
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Damion Lee scored 24 points for his career best with Louisville, and the Cardinals used their size and defense to break open a close game at halftime and run away from North Florida for an 89-61 victory on Saturday.
The Cardinals (3-0) ruled the boards (53-22) and inside scoring (58-16) throughout but only led 43-41 at the break as the Ospreys countered with nine of their 11 3-pointers. Louisville sped up the tempo on both ends after that to quickly pull away behind newcomers such as Lee, a graduate transfer who made 10 of 16 attempts including a pair of 3-pointers.
Freshman Ray Spalding added career bests of 18 points and 12 rebounds and guard Trey Lewis, another graduate transfer, had 15 points for the Cardinals.
Dallas Moore's 21 points led North Florida (3-1), which shot 50 percent from long range but just 35 percent overall.
The Cardinals meanwhile were 21 of 34 in the second half to finish 38 of 75 (51 percent) and earn their third lopsided win to open the season.
This victory took some work, though.
After routs of Samford and Hartford, Louisville faced its biggest defensive challenge in North Florida, junior guard Moore (24.3 points) led a high-scoring lineup of four averaging at least 14 points per contest. The Ospreys entered leading the nation in 3-pointers per game (16) and eighth in long-range accuracy (48 percent).
And the Ospreys needed just four seconds to show their hand as Trent Mackey nailed the first of many long-range shots in a back-and-forth first half featuring two ties, nine lead changes and some interesting statistics. For example, Louisville dominated the boards 31-13 and the paint 28-8 and it almost didn't matter because North Florida was so good from the perimeter.
But size and defense still matter, and the Cardinals used both strengths to rally and eventually cruise.
Louisville sealed off the inside and outside to North Florida, which made just 2 of 7 from behind the arc after halftime, over the first 12 minutes of the second half. The lead reached 30 points with four minutes left as the Ospreys were held to just 28 percent in the second half.
Beau Beech added 18 points for the Ospreys.
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TIP-INS
North Florida: Beech finished with four 3-pointers, including one from at least 30 feet to end the first half. ... The Ospreys committed 15 turnovers.
Louisville: Freshman Donovan Mitchell and Mangok Mathiang were called for first-half technical fouls. .... The Cardinals started a three-guard lineup for the first time with Lewis, Lee and Quentin Snider, who finished with nine points and six assists. ... Freshman wing Deng Adel sprained his knee in practice Friday and did not play.
UP NEXT
North Florida: Visits Saint Louis on Tuesday.
Louisville: Hosts St. Francis (Brooklyn) on Tuesday.
