Given what is now a fitful night of tossin’ and turnin’, a half eaten breakfast — if that — and a double dose of Pepcid away, the abject tension of Louisville’s victory over Arkansas is just about a faint memory of the distant past.
The pivot from last night to next has been palpably immediate.
Tomorrow afternoon, on the composite court of Stokely Coliseum in Knoxville, Tennessee, the University of Louisville will battle the University of Kentucky in a basketball game.
It is of consequence. The victor shall advance to the Final Four.
Of considerably more importance, the victor shall be King of Hoops on the dark and bloody ground of the Commonwealth.
B-Ball Supremacy in the epicenter of college basketball awaits.
The Wildcats punched their ticket with a narrow 64-59 W over Indiana in the doubleheader’s opener.
Then, thanks to a literal last second tip in by Scooter McCray or Charles Jones or both the Cardinals advanced, 65-63.
It is a dream match up, a quarter century in the longing.
Since U of L upset UK in the ’59 ME regional final, outscoring the Cats by 23 in the 2d to prevail 76-61, there have been a couple of misfiring drive bys. In ’75, U of L couldn’t close UCLA. Last year, UK choked against Middle Tennessee.
The long awaited match up is now on the morrow.
And, as it is my charge, I need to chronicle how the Cards got there.
It did not come easily.
* * * * *
Nervous perhaps given that UK had already won, definitely out of sorts, U of L gave it away on three of their first five possessions.
They were getting outmanned on the boards.
The press and half court traps kept them close. Until they didn’t.
The Cardinals led but twice in the 1st, their only advantages until the final buzzer. At 11-10 on a Lancaster Gordon deuce +1. At 19-18, on a Gordon post up turnaround.
Then Louisville, listing horribly, suffered an 11 minute drought, falling behind 19-35.
Scooter McCray plugged the hole, scoring with 1:45 left before intermission. Followed by a short Milt Wagner J, and another tally by McCray.
A 6-0 triage entering halftime. (Yeah, mixed metaphor. My fingers are still trembling.)
The Razorbacks still led by double digits at the break. 37-27.
Both teams shot well from field, over 50%.
Both teams played giveaway in the defensive struggle. Nine turnovers by the Cards, 8 by Eddie Sutton’s squad.
U of L fouled too much, ten times vs. half that many by their foe. The Hogs were 9/12 at the line, the Cardinals but 1/2. -8.
The most telling numbers. Rebounding totals. For the first time all season, Louisville had less than double digit caroms. 7. Yes, just seven. Arkansas grabbed 16.
One has to assume that the reliable, ever steady, mature 31-3 Cards were not immune to the weight of the situation.
* * * * *
University of Louisville basketball showed up after the break.
Charles Jones stole the ball and scored on the the first possession. Scooter scored twice soon after.
Game on.
Arkansas’s measure held up between 5 and seven points.
Until, midway through the half, a Gordon bucket cut the deficit to three.
The Cards couldn’t get even, until . . .
. . . Gordon pilfered a Razorback pass coming out of a timeout at 3:43. His end to end breakaway knotted it at 61.
Nervousness reigned for both tiring squads.
Deflections. Turnovers, the last of which, gave the Cards the ball at the :13 mark, the score tied 63-63.
After a timeout at :06, the Cards had the ball, side out, front court.
The ball was inbounded to Milt Wagner. His quick jumper from 12 feet was errant.
Charles Jones’s follow tap didn’t drop.
Scooter’s contested rebound, reset and follow didn’t drop.
Then the tip in that shall be argued about as long as U of L plays basketball. Scooter McCray’s hand guided the ball. As did Charles Jones’s, though his was a bit farther from the hoop.
Deuce. Buzzer.
65-63.
Tomorrow, ladies and gents, finally, Cards vs. Cats.
* * * * *
The scoring, as if it matters a whit.
Gordon 19, Scooter 17, Wagner 10, Jones 6, Billy Thompson 6, Rodney 5 with 5 boards, Jeff Hall 2.
— c d kaplan
