Louisville used balance, rebounding muscle, and a late second half surge to pull away from Notre Dame for a 76–65 win, holding the Irish without a lead for nearly the final 35 minutes.
After Notre Dame jumped out early and led 16–7 in the opening seven minutes, Louisville settled in defensively and flipped the game with a 14–0 run in the second half that ballooned the margin to as many as 19.
The Cardinals finished shooting 43-percent from the floor and dominated the glass 46–35, including 16 offensive rebounds that repeatedly erased empty possessions.
Notre Dame stayed competitive largely because of its perimeter shooting. The Irish hit 11-of-27 from three (41-percent), accounting for more than half of their made field goals, but struggled everywhere else. They shot just 39-percent overall and a glaring 6-of-14 at the free throw line, leaving points on the board in a game that slipped away late. Turnovers were even at 12 a piece, but Louisville converted its extra possessions into second chance points and a steady diet of trips to the line, where it went 13 of 18.
Cole Certa led Notre Dame with 18 points, knocking down five threes on 14 attempts, though he needed 18 shots to get there. Brady Koehler added 11 points and four rebounds, while Carson Towt was the lone consistent interior presence with 10 rebounds to go with six points and three assists. Notre Dame showed some late fight. Braeden Shrewsberry drilled a three with 30 seconds left after a steal by Koehler but by then the outcome was already decided.
Louisville didn’t rely on a single star, instead spreading the scoring load across the lineup. Isaac McKneely led the Cardinals with 13 points, hitting all four of his three-point attempts. Ryan Conwell and Sananda Fru combined for 24 points, while Louisville’s rebounding edge and ability to string together stops down the stretch told the story. The Cardinals shot just 23-percent from three overall, but controlled the paint, won the physical battle, and closed the game with authority.
Louisville plays Saturday at 12 against Wake Forest.
