Cardinals Use Free Throws to Rally Past New Mexico State in Overtime

Sunday, November 26

LOUISVILLE, KY

1 p.m.

University of Louisville

3-3,0-0ACC

New Mexico State

3-5,0-0CUSA

OT 1

New Mexico St.

Louisville

Cardinals Use Free Throws to Rally Past New Mexico State in Overtime

November 26, 2023 | Men's Basketball

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By: Zach Greenwell

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville men's basketball rallied from an eight-point deficit with 1:18 left in regulation Sunday, using the free-throw line to beat New Mexico State 90-84 in overtime at the KFC Yum! Center.

The Cardinals sent the game to overtime with a 3-pointer by sophomore guard Tre White with 21 seconds to play, then scored 15 of their 17 points in the extra period from the charity stripe to come out on top in the first OT game of head coach Kenny Payne's tenure.

"I'm proud of our guys," Payne said. "I'm proud of how they finished at the free-throw line late in the game. I'm proud of the fact that we won the game by being aggressive around the rim."

Louisville (3-3) had a banner day overall from the free-throw line, making 36 of 49 attempts while drawing 40 fouls – the most in program history by an opponent.

The Cards' 36 makes and 49 attempts were both the most since Nov. 8, 2018, against Nicholls.

Leading the charge was sophomore guard Skyy Clark, who scored a career-high 29 points while netting 15 of 16 from the line.

Clark's 15 makes were the most by a Cardinal since Samardo Samuels netted 16 against Notre Dame in 2010. His 16 tries were the most since Russ Smith took 16 at Rutgers in 2014.

"That was something Kenny Payne harped on when we were scouting them and before the game," Clark said. "We knew that they were a very foul-prone team and that if we could drive and go strong, we were going to get a lot of calls."

Louisville had three players score 20 or more points for the first time since 2014. White finished with 22 points, six rebounds and three steals, while senior forward JJ Traynor had a career-high 20 points and nine boards.

The Cardinals went 0-for-7 from 3-point range in the first half, but made 10 of 14 free throws. They trailed by as much as 10 before the break but cut it to 30-28 at halftime as freshman guard Ty-Laur Johnson found Traynor for a dunk with seven seconds to go.

Clark opened the second half with a 3 to give Louisville the lead, but New Mexico State controlled most of the half. The Aggies led for more than 36 minutes in the game, while UofL was in front for just six minutes and change.

"I think it just shows our resilience and our fight," Traynor said. "Last year, we wouldn't stay together during times like this, and we would break and not make that play to win that game. This year, I feel like we make those plays. We have to continue to make those plays and stay together as best as we can because we have talent. We just have to be together. When we're together, we're really good."

NMSU's lead grew to 73-65 with 1:18 left before Louisville began to chip away.

A three-point play by Traynor cut the deficit to 73-70, and after a defensive stop, White pulled up in transition to tie it with 21 seconds remaining.

The Aggies' Kaosi Ezeagu missed two free throws with 1.5 seconds left to give Louisville new life in overtime.

"I was trying to create a play for one of the guys, but they took those away and gave me an open 3," White said. "I walked into the shot, held it and it went in."

The Cards opened OT with a basket by Traynor, and that was their final field goal of the game. From there, they made 15 of 19 free throws as six New Mexico State players fouled out, forcing the Aggies to finish the game with four players.

Johnson joined his teammates in double figures with 10 points and six assists.

Jordan Rawls led New Mexico State with 20 points.

The Cardinals stay home to host crosstown foe Bellarmine at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday. The game will stream on ACC Network Extra.