66 - 57 
The effort was there, but the execution wasn’t good enough to avoid the first L of the season.
In its first true test of the season, Louisville played neck and neck with Purdue for about 38 and a half minutes. The final 90 seconds were a different story, however, as the Boilermakers made all the plays necessary to pull out a 66-57 in the ACC-Big 10 Challenge.
I’ll be perfectly honest here and say that I was expecting worse tonight. I thought the Cards would be shellshocked early, fall behind big, make an admirable run in the second half to get the score respectable, and then ultimately fall by 10 or 11. The fact that U of L was in a position to win late and that Purdue never had complete control until the game’s final seconds is something of a positive.
Having said that, you still hate to lose any game where you had a prime opportunity to win, and Louisville had a prime opportunity to win this one. The Cardinals missed more layups than anyone can count, made silly mistakes on key defensive possessions, and had some crucial mistakes from their most experienced players in the game’s most critical moments.
For every positive, there seemed to be a parallel negative.
V.J. King was as good as we’ve seen him in a Cardinal uniform. Quentin Snider’s senior funk unfortunately continued. Anas Mahmoud and Ray Spalding both battled in the paint and were effective for long stretches. They also both got into foul trouble and had to sit out for a long stretch just when it seemed like Louisville might be on the verge of taking over the control. The freshmen played crucial minutes in a hostile environment and got some valuable experience for the rest of the season. For most of the night, they looked like they weren’t ready for those minutes, especially the frontcourt players.
The road is going to be a hostile place for Louisville this season, but it’s rarely going to be as hostile as it was Tuesday night. The fact that the Cards didn’t fold their tent and get blown away was encouraging. That said, I think what we all believed to be the case after the season’s first four games was confirmed in West Lafayette: This team just isn’t all that good right now. That’s understandable, and it doesn’t have to be a permanent status.
Regroup, find a way to pick up a quality win over Seton Hall on Sunday, and then keep picking up as many pieces as you can as December goes on.
