NCAA Midwest Regional at Indianapolis : Tournament-Tough Louisville Advances, 76-71

Louisville didn’t bring its national championship banners along, just that valuable tournament experience.

The 12th-ranked Cardinals kept their poise down the stretch Thursday and turned back Arkansas Little Rock, 76-71, in the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. Midwest Regional at Indianapolis.

“Down the stretch, I’m not so sure that their tourney experience didn’t pay off,” Little Rock Coach Mike Newell said.

Coach Denny Crum’s Cardinals (23-8), who in addition to their two national titles have been in two other Final Fours in the 1980s, made three-point plays three times down the stretch, and Keith Williams and Tony Kimbro added two free throws apiece in the closing minutes.

Little Rock (23-8), in the tournament for only the second time, stayed close most of the way but fell back in the final minutes by missing the first free throw of three one-and-one situations.

“I thought our defense was pretty good, especially in the second half,” Crum said. “That was the difference. When we win, it’s usually with our defense.”

Carl Brown scored 26 points for the Trojans, making four of six shots from three-point range, but his two misses came in the final minute. Derrick Owens added 19 points for Little Rock.

Kenny Payne scored 17 points and LaBradford Smith added 15 to lead the Cardinals, who won the NCAA title in 1980 and 1986. Williams finished with 13 points and Kimbro had 11 for Louisville, seeded No. 4 in the Midwest.

Brown’s three-point basket gave the Trojans a 27-23 lead, but Payne hit three straight baskets and Kimbro added a three-pointer as Louisville rallied to take a 32-31 lead. Louisville took a 39-35 halftime lead on a basket and free throw by Pervis Ellison.

The Cardinals stretched the lead to 51-44 in the second half before a three-pointer by Brown helped bring Little Rock back. Brown tied the score, 57-57, with another three-pointer before a basket by Felton Spencer and a three-point play by Williams put Louisville ahead to stay.

“This was the beginning for us,” Payne said. “We didn’t play real well, but we’re happy to win. As each game goes on, I think we’ll play better and better.”

The Trojans, who were in foul trouble most of the second half, made only 42% of their shots and just eight of 15 free throws. Louisville made 51% of its shots and 15 of 23 from the line.

“We didn’t hit our free throws,” Newell said. “We had several chances but we just weren’t capable of pulling it off.”

Illinois 77, McNeese State 71--Kenny Battle scored 18 points, and Lowell Hamilton added 17 as the third-ranked Illini survived a late three-point assault by the Cowboys.

The Illini (28-4) broke a close game open by outscoring the Cowboys, 24-4, over the final 6 1/2 minutes of the first half and first five minutes of the second half.

Illinois held a 26-21 lead at halftime and gave up the first basket of the second half before putting pulling away with 14-2 burst. Another surge of 19-6 midway through the second half pushed the lead to 23 points before McNeese (16-14) rallied.

McNeese, Southland Conference tournament champion, was playing in its first NCAA tournament.

Michael Cutright scored 28 points for the Cowboys and Tab Harris added 15 points on five three-pointers, including four in the final 48 seconds. Anthony Pullard had 17 points for McNeese.

Ball State 68, Pittsburgh 64--Paris McCurdy scored six of his 18 points in an 11-point surge that carried the No. 18 Cardinals past the Panthers.

Pittsburgh (17-13) led, 51-45, after a 17-0 spurt over seven minutes that ended with a goaltending call against the Panthers. The Panthers were ahead, 55-49, with eight minutes remaining following Sean Miller’s three-pointer, but went scoreless for five minutes and the Cardinals (29-2) too over.

Greg Miller’s basket with 2:51 left put Ball State ahead to stay, 56-55, with 2:51 left. The Cardinals built the lead to 60-55 with 1:47 left as Curtis Kidd and McCurdy made two free throws each.

Rod Brookin’s three-pointer pulled Pittsburgh to within 64-61 with 39 seconds left and the Panthers had an opportunity to get closer, but McCurdy stole the ball and Miller made two free throws with 25 seconds left.

Jason Matthews, who scored 23 points, made a three-pointer as Pitt closed to 66-64 with 10 seconds left. McCurdy hit two more free throws with seven seconds remaining.