Cardinals and Jackrabbits Clash at Imperial Arena in Intense Fifth Place Game
The Louisville Cardinals, ranked 10, faced off against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits in a competitive matchup at Imperial Arena. The Cardinals entered the game with a strong record but fell short to the Jackrabits with a final score of 65-55.
The game started off with both teams showing determination, but it was the Jackrabbits who managed to secure an early lead by outscoring the Cardinals 8-11 in the first quarter. The second quarter saw a similar pattern, ending with an 18-8 run favoring South Dakota State. However, Louisville showed resilience and bounced back in the third quarter by matching their opponents' intensity and scoring 20 points each. Despite their efforts and closing up significantly in the fourth quarter with another solid performance of 16 points, they couldn't overcome South Dakota State's consistent scoring.
Louisville's defense put up a valiant effort throughout the game, recording nine steals which contributed to their total of 16 points off turnovers. Their offense was led by contributions across the board; however, they struggled from beyond the arc hitting only five out of sixteen three-point attempts for a three-point percentage of approximately 31 percent.
On offense for South Dakota State, precision was key as they made nearly two-thirds of their two-point shots and shot approximately 45 percent from field goal range overall. They also capitalized on free throw opportunities making about 77 percent from the line which added significantly to their point tally.
Rebounding played an essential role in this contest as well; South Dakota State dominated this aspect with a total rebound count of forty-one compared to Louisville's twenty-four rebounds. This advantage allowed them extra possessions and second-chance points totaling eleven for South Dakota State versus four for Louisville.
Despite falling behind early on turnovers as well – committing twelve compared to twenty by their opponents – Louisville managed better efficiency when it came down to assists over turnovers ratio (approximately 1.2) than that of South Dakota State (approximately .72).
Looking ahead after this tough loss at Nassau’s Imperial Arena before an attendance crowd estimated around two hundred fifteen fans, The Louisville Cardinals will be hosting Longwood Lancers at KFC Yum! Center located in Louisville on November twenty-fifth at noon Eastern Time Zone broadcasted via ACC Network Extra online platform. This upcoming home game presents another opportunity for The Cardinals to showcase their skills before supportive fans without having traveled far from home court advantage.