The unranked Louisville Cardinals rolled to a major upset on Saturday afternoon, shocking number one Syracuse 78-68. Playing in their final game at their home arena Freedom Hall, Louisville beat Syracuse for the second time this season.
The loss was just the third of the season for the top-ranked Orange. They fell at home to Louisville 66-60 on Valentine’s day just a few weeks ago.
Perhaps the most exciting storyline from the game was the play of Louisville sophomore guard Kyle Kuric. The backup entered the game late in the first half after Jerry Smith went down with hand injury. Kuric finished with 22 points, all in the second half. The player, who was averaging three points per game, wowed the crowd with a bevy of three-point shots and alley-oop dunks.
"It's an unbelievable moment," Kuric said. "It's what every kid dreams of.”
Edgar Sosa also contributed to the Louisville win, as he bid farewell to the fans on Senior Day. The guard hit three key long-range jumpers from behind the arc, helping propel his unranked team to victory.
While the Orange have taken care of the Big East with relative ease this season, Rick Pitino has caused serious headaches for his good friend Boeheim. Boeheim’s team was unable to find any kind of offensive rhythm in the second half, with many unforced turnovers and bad shots helping the Cardinals go on long runs.
"We just weren't flowing in our offense," said Syracuse senior Arinze Onuako.
Scoop Jardine led the Orange with 20 points off the bench. The Orange will have to put this loss behind them as they prepare for what should turn out to be an action-packed Big East tournament which begins March 8.
