The Louisville Cardinals dominated Notre Dame with a 75-60 victory Sunday, snapping a four-game series losing streak while coach Micah Shrewsberry made headlines defending his struggling Notre Dame basketball roster. Chucky Hepburn led the charge with 16 points and six assists, while James Scott’s 10-point, 10-rebound performance marked his fourth double-double this season.
Louisville (20-6, 13-2 ACC) extended its hot streak with four consecutive wins, fueled by sharpshooting from Reyne Smith. His four three-pointers lifted the Cardinals early, including a buzzer-beating shot to close the first half 35-28. Smith now ranks third in program history for single-season three-pointers (100), trailing only Taquan Dean’s record 122 in 2004-05.
Don’t give up on these kids, man,Shrewsberry pleaded post-game. What have they done for people to give up on them? If you’re not with us because we’re losing, fine. But blame me, not them.
Notre Dame (11-14, 5-9 ACC) struggled despite Markus Burton’s game-high 22 points. A dismal second-half stretch sealed their fate after Louisville unleashed a 13-2 run, capped by J’Vonne Hadley’s back-to-back threes. Shrewsberry called the lopsided Louisville fan turnout embarrassing,vowing to rebuild trust: I got us in this predicament. But don’t come back when we’re winning.
Key Stats:
- Louisville: 14 wins in last 15 games
- Reyne Smith: 12 points (4/8 three-pointers)
- Notre Dame: 4 losses in 5 games
Up next, Louisville hosts Florida State Saturday, while Notre Dame faces Pittsburgh Wednesday.