Cardinals Fall at Home to Syracuse, 82-76

Saturday, March 2

LOUISVILLE, KY

8 p.m.

University of Louisville

Syracuse

March 02, 2024 | Men's Basketball

Box Score PDF Box VIDEO: Kenny Payne Press Conference VIDEO: Brandon Huntley-Hatfield/Kaleb Glenn Press Conference

By: Zach Greenwell

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville men's basketball struggled to contain Syracuse defensively Saturday night in an 82-76 loss at the KFC Yum! Center.

The Orange shot 57.8% from the field and 62.5% from the 3-point line, while also making 25 of 39 free throws in their fourth straight victory.

"First of all, coming into this game we talked about the urgency we needed to go out and finish the season strong and head into the ACC Tournament," UofL head coach Kenny Payne said. "We talked about what Syracuse had to lose and that we would get their best effort because they had won five of their last six games or so. So you are going to have to beat a really good team that is hot right now. I am very disappointed that I and we as a staff could not get these guys to come out with the energy, effort, and fight you need to have to get a win."

Syracuse went up 20-11 early with a 15-4 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Chris Bell.

The Cardinals (8-21, 3-15 ACC) later pulled back within 29-26 on a 3 by sophomore guard Tre White, but the Orange finished the half on a 10-2 burst. Judah Mintz' dunk at the buzzer made it 39-28 at the break.

Louisville scored seven unanswered early in the second half and later trimmed its deficit to 52-47 with 12:58 to go on another 3-pointer by White.

Syracuse (20-10, 11-8) countered with 12 straight points, building a cushion as large as 19 with 7:15 to go before one final push from the Cards.

UofL made 10 straight free throws to cut it to single digits with less than five minutes to play. A 3-pointer by redshirt sophomore guard/forward Mike James got Louisville within 78-74 with 39 seconds remaining, but the Orange made four free throws in hold on.

James led the Cardinals with 18 points and eight rebounds, while junior forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield tallied his eighth double-double of the year with 17 points and 11 boards.

Freshman forward Kaleb Glenn pitched in 15 points, and White finished with 12 points and six rebounds.

Bell (23 points) and Mintz (21) paced the Syracuse scoring.

"I feel like we are out there giving good effort, but it has to be better, obviously," Huntley-Hatfield said. "I just think it's not more so our effort, I think it's communicating with each other, being in the right spot, attention to detail, scouting what we want to take away and what we want to disrupt. I feel like we're out there trying, it's just about communicating and being more locked in and attentive to the details of the game."

The Cardinals continue their homestand against Virginia Tech at 7 p.m. ET Tuesday. The game will air on ESPNU.