NCAA: Cards v. Jackets Post Game Notes

NCAA TOURNAMENT NOTES:

Louisville advances to play #1 Washington on Thursday in Albuquerque

28th overall meeting between the teams but the first NCAA Tournament matchup

Louisville increases advantage to 15-13 edge in all-time series

Rick Pitino guides his 7th team to the Sweet Sixteen

Georgia Tech never led in the game

Louisville used early 9-3, 7-0, & 7-0 runs to take a 23-8 advantage at the 11:46 mark in the 1st half

Garcia & O'Bannon combined for 20 of Louisville's first 25 points; Jack scored 11 of GT's 1st 15 pts

Louisville shot 52.4 percent from the field, nearly 15 percent better than GT

#4 LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (31-4)

Earns 15th berth into Sweet Sixteen (4th-most all-time) and first since 1997

Extends winning streak to 11 games, their longest this season; has won 20 of its last 21

Holds best record (31-4) since 1982-83 (32-4, 22 years ago); only 4th 30+ win season in school history

Making 32nd appearance in NCAA Tournament (5th-most all-time); appearing for third straight year

Entered tournament field as #4 seed despite #4 ranking in latest Associated Press poll

Improves to 51-33 all-time in NCAA Tourney action

Improves to 8-5 all-time when playing as a #4 seed & 4-1 when facing a #5 seed

Improves to 31-6 when facing a lower-seeded team in NCAA Tournament play

Improves to 6-1 on neutral court in 2004-05 & 6-0 in neutral site games in Nashville all-time

Rick Pitino improves to 29-9 as a coach in NCAA Tournament play; has won 14 of last 17 games

Improves to 25-2 when leading at halftime (held a 45-30 advantage)

Shot 63 percent overall in 1st half (15-of-24) & 50 percent on 3FGs in 1st half (6-of-12)

Francisco Garcia

Game-high 21 points on 5-of-11 shooting

10th 20+ pt. game (2nd in his last 14 contests; both tournament games)

29th double-digit scoring total of 2004-05

Blocked four shots

Game-high 18 points in first half (5-of-8 FG, 3-of-5 3FG)

Taquan Dean

14 points; 25th double-digit scoring total in 34 games in 2004-05

Limited to three points in only seven minutes of 1st half action due to foul trouble (3 fouls)

Larry O'Bannon

16 points on 5-of-7 shooting; 30th double-digit effort of 2004-05

12 1st-half points on 4-of-5 shooting (2-of-2 3FG)

Juan Palacios

12 points, 11 rebounds; 6th double-double of the season

Only his second double-digit scoring total in last 12 games (15th overall in 2004-05)