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Morgantown, WV (Sports Network) - Da'Sean Butler hit a crucial jumper and made two free throws with 5.8 seconds remaining to lift ninth-ranked West Virginia to a 77-74 victory over Louisville.
The Mountaineers (17-3, 6-2 Big East) trailed 70-59 with seven minutes left before ripping off 11 straight points over the next four minutes, tying the game on a Kevin Jones bucket.
Jerry Smith sank a pair at the foul line for a 74-73 Louisville lead, but Butler nailed a shot off an inbounds pass with 16.3 seconds showing on the clock and, after Louisville's Reginald Delk missed a three-pointer at the other end, converted both attempts from the charity stripe to make it 77-74.
The Cardinals (13-8, 4-4) had one last chance, but Mike Marra's desperation three was off the mark.
Butler finished with a game-high 27 points for West Virginia, which has won its last four games. Jones had 16 points and five rebounds, while Wellington Smith scored 12 points for the Mountaineers.
Samardo Samuels and Delk both totaled 16 points for the Cardinals, who have dropped four of five.
It was all West Virginia in the first three minutes of the game, as the Mountaineers stormed out to a 13-0 lead that soon became a distant memory.
Delk and Edgar Sosa nailed consecutive three-pointers to give Louisville its first lead of the game at 32-30 with about 5 1/2 minutes remaining. A Terrence Jennings jumper pushed the Cardinals' lead to 44-37, and the visitors led by four at the break.
After the Mountaineers tied the game at 48, Louisville responded with a 10-1 surge, and a Samuels layup gave the Cardinals a 65-53 lead midway through the second half.
Peyton Siva had 14 points for the Cardinals...West Virginia won despite shooting 40 percent from the field...Louisville returns home to welcome Connecticut on Monday...West Virginia hosts Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
Louisville Fans: Very, Very Upset About The End Of The Game
And I don’t blame them. Imagine losing a game at the end in part because the referees made a wrong call on a key out-of-bounds play because the referee was ducking away to avoid getting hit with the ball. That, quite simply, is painful.
Here’s how SB Nation’s Louisville blog Card Chronicle broke down that play.
The natural reaction by West Virginia fans is that the Cardinals should have put the game away when they had the chance instead of letting West Virginia come back down the stretch. That’s true. But that doesn’t take away from the egregious mistake the referees made here.
Card Chronicle’s Mike Rutherford later writes that this is the angriest he’s ever been after a loss. With Louisville’s NCAA Tournament hopes on life support, I don’t blame him.
Jan 30 3:37p by Mike Prada - 0 comments