Louisville basketball turns back feisty Northern Kentucky in NIT opener

Jeff Greer
Courier Journal
Louisville's Ray Spalding knocks the ball away from NKU's Carson Williams during NIT action. March 13, 2018

Deng Adel scored 20 points and Ryan McMahon added 10 to help Louisville hold off Northern Kentucky, 66-58, in the opening round of the NIT on Tuesday night at the KFC Yum Center.

Louisville (21-13) overcame a 25-percent first-half shooting performance in staving off Northern Kentucky, which won the rebounding battle but made just 5 of 28 from 3-point range.

It was the first NIT appearance for the Cards since 2006, when they reached the semifinals. They haven't lost an opener since 1976.

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Adel was 7 of 12 from the field and grabbed four rebounds. McMahon's scoring burst off the bench spearheaded a 25-point effort from Louisville's reserves. Junior forward Ray Spalding added seven points, 13 rebounds, four blocks and three steals. 

Northern Kentucky (22-10) led for 16 minutes and two seconds, but the Norse shot just 34 percent as a team. Ballard High grad Lavone Holland totaled 15 points and five rebounds for NKU.

Playing for pride: The Cards voted before the ACC Tournament that they didn't want to play in the NIT. It's hard to blame them for that after a tumultuous regular season that ended with the bitter disappointment of missing the NCAA Tournament. But the Cards were ultimately playing Tuesday night to avoid an embarrassing home loss to an in-state opponent from a lesser conference. Northern Kentucky put up a spirited fight, with 19 points and 13 rebounds from junior center Drew McDonald. But Louisville, spurred on by a loud and full lower bowl in the arena with the top level curtained off, turned back the Norse with a strong second half.

Tempo, frenetic defense: It was the type of defense Louisville was missing in the nonconference portion of its schedule when it was narrowly beating teams like George Mason and Albany. The Cards ratcheted up their rotations, shooting passing lanes and getting steals and run-outs. That obviously wasn't as effective against better competition, but Louisville's effort changed the momentum of the game and led to better offensive possessions and easier baskets, including 10 fast-break points.

Listless first half: Louisville played like a team that didn't want to be there Tuesday night at the Yum Center, with a dismal first-half performance. The Cards were 8 of 32 from the field and endured multiple scoring droughts in the opening half. It felt a lot like the games at Duke and Kentucky, when Louisville looked like it just went through the motions. That's how Northern Kentucky, with no regular contributor taller than 6-foot-7, dominated the glass and led Louisville by seven at halftime.

Second-half change: Whatever energy was missing in the opening half returned in the second as Louisville fought back into the lead. Adel scored all but four of his points after the break, and Darius Perry put an exclamation point on the rally with a hellacious one-handed dunk over a Northern Kentucky defender. The Cards' fullcourt pressure made a big difference, and they amped up their disruptive behavior in halfcourt sets, too, getting deflections and challenging shots.

Up next: Louisville advances to the second round of the NIT. The Cards will host the winner of the late Tuesday matchup between Middle Tennessee and Vermont.
