The UConn Huskies could not escape the stifling defense of the Louisville Cardinals. With Jim Calhoun still away from his team due to a degenerative spinal condition, the Huskies committed 15 turnovers and shot just 35 percent from the field. They were able to keep the game competitive through the first half, but found themselves down by as many as 30 in the second before finally falling by an 80-59 final score.
Andre Drummond was held in check all night by the Cardinals' Gorgui Dieng. UConn's freshman center was shut out, going 0-for-6 from the field in just 16 minutes on the court. Dieng, meanwhile, managed 15 points and six boards on 7-for-12 from the field. The Huskies also had no answer for the Cardinals' hot shooting from the arc. Louisville went 11-for-25 from distance. Chris Smith alone went 4-for-6, on his way to a game-leading 16 points.
Ryan Boatright did his best to keep UConn afloat with 18 points, six boards and five assists. Ultimately, he could not make up for the flat performance from his teammates, particularly his prospect of a center. The Huskies dropped to 5-6 in the Big East, and have now lost five of their last six games.
For more on the Huskies, head over to the The UConn Blog. For more on the Cardinals, check out Card Chronicle. For more from around the conference, head over to Big East Coast Bias.