In a hard-fought battle at the Empire Classic on Monday, Louisville men’s basketball had a seven-point lead down the stretch against Indiana, but the Hoosiers executed a remarkable 13-2 run in the final minutes to secure a 74-66 victory. The game, held at Madison Square Garden, showcased a competitive matchup between the Cardinals and the Hoosiers, with Indiana’s late surge proving decisive.
The Cardinals (2-3) had a 64-61 lead with 4:23 left on the clock after a powerful dunk by senior forward JJ Traynor. However, Indiana (4-1) responded with a game-changing 13-point streak, deploying an unexpected switch to zone defense that effectively stymied the UofL offense.
Louisville struggled to regain momentum, and the Hoosiers’ defensive adjustments played a crucial role in disrupting the Cardinals’ offensive flow. The Cardinals didn’t score again until a late layup by sophomore guard Skyy Clark with just four seconds remaining.
UofL head coach Kenny Payne acknowledged Indiana’s strategic adjustments, stating, “They didn’t shoot the ball great, but they made adjustments, they picked up their adjustments quick. It caught us a little off-guard, and we became stagnant offensively. … We’re close, but we just have to get over the hump.”
Louisville led 15-12 early in the game, but Indiana responded with two 7-0 runs, building a 26-18 advantage. The Hoosiers extended their lead to 10 points in the final minutes of the first half, but the Cardinals narrowed the deficit to 34-29 at halftime with a basket from junior forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield and a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Clark.
In the second half, IU’s lead increased to 46-37, prompting Louisville to mount a significant 21-5 run, largely powered by newcomers Kaleb Glenn, Ty-Laur Johnson, and Curtis Williams. Despite the Cardinals’ surge, they struggled to maintain offensive consistency in the final minutes, managing only two field goals in the last 9:54.
Clark, leading Louisville with 19 points, expressed the team’s resilience, saying, “It really comes down to the last four minutes. It was in our reach, and in the last four minutes, we let it slip away. Both teams that we played, they’ve got more experience and older players, so they’ve been in those types of games. It’s something we can learn from … and even though we went 0-2, I think we showed people we can compete with some of the top teams in the country.”
The Cardinals will return home after the Thanksgiving holiday to host New Mexico State at 1 p.m. ET Sunday at the KFC Yum! Center, with the game streaming on ACC Network Extra.