The Louisville Cardinals picked up their sixth straight victory on Saturday, defeating the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 78-55 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN.
Louisville dominated the first half, leading 40-22 after twenty minutes. The Cardinals played particularly well on the defensive end, holding the Hilltoppers to 40 percent shooting from the field. Louisville shot 51 percent from the floor and forced 19 Western Kentucky turnovers.
Russ Smith led the Cardinals with 20 points thanks to an 11-13 shooting performance from the free-throw line. Wayne Blackshear scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds, shooting 7-12 from the field and 3-6 from beyond the arc. Chane Behanan had 14 points, while Montrezl Harrell scored 13 points off the Louisville bench.
Brandon Harris led Western Kentucky with 14 points, but only shot 5-18 from the field. Harris added seven rebounds and five assists, but also committed five turnovers. Only one other Hilltopper scored in double-figures; George Fant chipped in 11 points.