Louisville (14-5, 4-2) used its deep bench to run past the South Florida Bulls, 80-60, Wednesday night in Tampa to get back on the winning track in the Big East.
Earl Clark came off the Louisville bench to spark the Cardinals to their ninth win in eleven games. The 6’9 Clark hammered home a pair of dunks and drilled a three-pointer on his way to 14 first half points.
Earl Clark led UofL with 18 points (AP). |
Clark finished with 18 points on 8 of 12 shooting from the floor and also grabbed eight rebounds.
Louisville’s bench out-scored USF 33 to 11.
After blowing a 14 point second half lead to Seton Hall Saturday in a 92-82 loss, the Cardinals dominated the Bulls from start to finish on their home court.
Louisville had four different players connect from three-point range and Terrence Williams dished out 10 assists as the Cards took a 45-36 halftime lead. Louisville was on fire early, hitting 55 percent from the floor, including 6 of 8 from beyond the arch, in the opening 20 minutes.
In the second half, South Florida never threatened the Cardinals but did manage to narrow Louisville’s 24 point lead to 14 with 9:55 remaining.
Dominique Jones fueled USF’s second half run. The talented freshman, held scoreless in the first half, scored 15 second half points.
But the Bulls never got closer than 14, as David Padgett scored four straight points – a pair of free throws and a jump hook in the lane, to push Louisville’s lead back to 20 at the seven minute mark.
From that point, Louisville cruised home for victory.
Williams nearly had his second consecutive triple-double. The 6’6 junior forward finished with 7 points, 9 rebounds and 11 assists.
Kentrell Gransberry hit 10-16 field goals and scored 22 points to lead USF.
Louisville held South Florida to just .400 percent (22-55) from the field, including 5-16 from three-point range.