Seedy K’s GameCap: Eastern Michigan

This started like the kind of affair the Cardinals have played many times through the years.

After a big road W, a generally mundane let-down effort against an overmatched foe during the holidays, when a lot of fans stayed home to make some sweet potato pie.

Early on, the team’s focus was less than.

Missed layups were a sign focus was fuzzy.

4-4 tie with a seriously not very good Eastern Michigan team at the first media timeout.

Then the Cardinals visited Treyville.

Khani Rooths.

Followed by Adrian Wooley who bombed one in after getting an offensive rebound.

Isaac McNeely netting his first triple of 5 on the night in 9 attempts.

Then Mikel Brown from downtown. Which he followed with an old fashioned pedestrian two pointer.

Fifteen straight points for a 19-4  lead that would eventually balloon to 41 at the buzzer — 87-46 — and the woman sitting by me in the upper media section turned to her husband and admonished, “I told you we should have gone to Walmart for those toys. We can still get there if we leave now.”

Hubby didn’t budge. She did a lot of texting.

Also staying in the game were the Cards, though the effort was far from a beauty, gift-wrapped as it might have been by the underwhelming visitors.

33-17 at the break.

* * * * *

The singular highlight of the night — other than Cole Sherman’s triple to push the final advantage past forty — was the Aly Khalifa interlude in the second.

After hitting Wooley on one of his how’s-he-do-that interior bounce passes for a deuce, the Egyptian showed he could tickle the twine from Giza.

First from Khufu.

Then after tallying a deuce, another threeball, this from Khafre.

A bit later, another from Menkaure for a 77-40 lead. Following which he blocked a shot forcing a jump ball.

To be fair, none of the Eagles traversed the Sahara or sailed the Nile to contest those shots. But still.

As Smarts texted me, “Aly Khalifa. You can only hope to contain him.”

His stat line. 11 points. 4/6 from the field. 3/4 from the land of the Pharaohs. 6 rebounds. 5 assists.

* * * * *

U of L was more energized after intermission.

More efficient after wearing down the visitors.

19/30 from the field. 63%. 8/14 from hither and yon. 57%

Even got back into rhythm at the FT line. 8/10.

* * * * *

Khani Rooths snared 8 rebounds. Three other Cards grabbed six.

Other than Khalifa, two others hit double digits. McNeely with 17. Brown with 11 though his was definitely another he’s still a rookie performance.

Five Cardinals registered between 7 and 9 points. Including Ryan Conwell who didn’t score until 12:12 was left to play.

Louisville blocked ten shots.

Oh yes, Louisville’s defensive was tenacious.

Some nights with these resurgent Louisville Cardinals, the fans have to deal with a ho hum fortyburger victory.

— c d kaplan