Louisville is off to a 3-0 start in the ACC after a close 67-64 victory over Georgia Tech on Sunday night in Atlanta. The Cards improve to 9-4 overall. Tech falls to 6-6 on the season.
𝟯-0 IN THE ACC!!!#GoCards pic.twitter.com/7i6G4rZ3Vw
— Louisville Basketball (@LouisvilleMBB) January 3, 2022
Malik Williams led all Cardinals scorers with 20 points and 12 rebounds on 9-12 shooting from the field. Matt Cross added 13 points and 9 rebounds of his own. Dre Davis (13 pts.) and Noah Locke (10 pts.) were also in double figures for Louisville.
For Georgia Tech, Michael Devoe led the way with 23 points. Jordan Usher had 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Kyle Sturdivant added 14 points for the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech shot just 41.1-percent from the field.
Thoughts:
- We have been preaching for years now about the importance of Malik Williams to this basketball program. The three-year captain came through in a big way on Sunday night when his team was in danger of taking another avoidable loss. There are still numerous holes on this roster, but Malik is capable of covering them on a nightly basis when healthy.
- Speaking of the Center position… Malik Williams has been great, but we still have no clue about his long-term backup. Jae’Lyn Withers has looked unplayable recently. Williams will not be able to carry the frontcourt every night. Chris Mack must figure out who his second guy is down there, and soon.
- Only eight players saw minutes on Sunday night in Atlanta. Mack has historically kept a tight rotation deep in the season. Only one player was missing due to COVID-19 protocols. It appears that the head coach is at least attempting to figure out his go-to rotation.
- The offense has been a major disappoint this season, but it is time to recognize the consistent defensive performances from Louisville in 2021-2022. Whether they figure it out on the other end is still up in the air, but the defense should be good enough to keep the Cards in the majority of their ACC games.
- I’ve been openly down on this Louisville team for weeks now, but we are into the new year and the Cards hold a 3-0 record in the ACC. The conference still seems on pace for a nightmare season as a whole. Louisville needs to be winning these games, and so far it has found a way to do it.
Up Next:
Louisville is back at home on Wednesday night for a midweek matchup with Pittsburgh at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
