Louisville Cardinals March to Big East Championship

The Louisville Cardinals came from behind to defeat Villanova 69-55 in the semifinals of the Big East tournament, setting them up for a championship showdown with Syracuse. Terrence Williams, who had a notable first half, sparked a Cardinals' spurt in the second half to seal the win. Coach Rick Pitino credited his team's intensity and disruption of Villanova's offense with their success.

Key Takeaways:

• The Louisville Cardinals overcame a 10-point deficit in the second half to defeat Villanova 69-55 in the Big East tournament semifinals.
• Terrence Williams had a notable first half, catching a forearm across the face that left him dizzy and sent him to the bench.
• Williams returned to the game shortly afterwards to help lead the Cardinals' rally.
• Earl Clark finished with 17 points and Jerry Smith had 16 to lead the Cardinals, who will play Syracuse in the championship game.
• The Cardinals reached the Big East title game for the first time since joining the conference four years ago.
• The win secures Louisville's position as a top contender for a No. 1 seed in the N.C.A.A. tournament.

Statistics:

• Louisville made 8 three-pointers to outdo Villanova's 23 turnovers.
• The Cardinals went from being under-publicized and perceived as a sleeper team to becoming a top contender for a No. 1 seed.
• In the Big East regular-season standings, Louisville won the title, followed closely by Connecticut, Pittsburgh, and Oklahoma.

Sources:

• The New York Times
• Big East Conference
• N.C.A.A. Tournament Preview