Shorthanded Louisville takes care of Miami, 88-78

Now, the Cards must turn their focus to getting healthy.

Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Playing without star point guard Chucky Hepburn for the entirety of the game and without starting center James Scott for most of the game, Louisville still found a way to take care of business against Miami, claiming an 88-78 win over the visiting Hurricanes Saturday afternoon.

U of L’s latest injury came early in the first half when Miami’s Brandon Johnson fell on top of Scott, smashing his face into the floor. Scott came up bloody, left the game, and did not return to the Cardinal bench.

Thankfully, Terrence Edwards was brilliant in Hepburn’s absence. Filling in at point guard, Edwards poured in 27 points and handed out 10 assists, good for the sixth double-double of his college career and his first at Louisville. Reyne Smith knocked down six three-pointers, scored 26 points, and had a season-high five assists.

Louisville won by double figures despite Miami shooting 50.8 percent from the field and clawing back into the game every time it seemed like the Cardinals were poised to pull away.

It was a gritty effort by the Cardinals to earn their 11th conference victory, and after the game head coach Pat Kelsey made sure to thank the U of L student section for helping his team get to the finish line.

With the win, Louisville has now secured itself a spot in the 2025 ACC tournament (the bottom three teams don’t make the conference tournament this season). That may seem like a small thing until you remember that the Cardinals finished dead last in the final ACC standings by multiple games in each of the last two seasons.

Also of note: Louisville now has as many ACC victories this season as it had in the past three seasons combined.

Let’s get healthy and then get some more.