Louisville, Ky. — In an impressive showing, Chucky Hepburn achieved a personal best of 37 points, steering No. 19 Louisville to a 79-68 win against Pittsburgh this past Saturday night.
Terrence Edwards Jr. also made significant contributions, scoring 23 points and pulling in seven rebounds for Louisville (23-6, 16-2 in the ACC). The team demonstrated precision by shooting 51.1% from the field, converting 23 out of 45 attempts, and hitting 11 of 21 tries from beyond the arc, amounting to 52.4%.
On Pittsburgh’s side, Jaland Lowe managed to put up 16 points while Zack Austin supplemented with 15 points.
A transfer from Wisconsin, senior Hepburn, topped 30 points for his second occasion this season. In the first half, he dramatically mounted 24 points, maintaining a perfect 6-for-6 from the three-point mark over six successive possessions. His final three-pointer before halftime extended Louisville’s lead to 39-29 in the last moments of the half.
During the game’s latter half, Hepburn capitalized on free-throw opportunities, converting 9 of 13. His overall shooting statistic stood at 13 for 17—marking the fourth occurrence this season he has reached such a count.
The Panthers’ efforts kept them in contention, igniting an 8-0 run that swung them into a 62-59 advantage, courtesy of Austin’s three-pointer with just under eight minutes left on the clock. Nevertheless, Louisville responded strongly, crafting a 9-0 run to establish a 68-62 edge with approximately three and a half minutes left, highlighted by Hepburn’s driving layup.
Insights drawn from the game recount Pittsburgh as initially bearing the semblance of their formidable 12-2 run at the season’s onset, only to be eventually outlasted by Louisville’s endurance.
For Louisville, this match mirrored the gritty struggle of their initial encounter against Pittsburgh, wherein the seasoned composure propelled by leaders like Hepburn and Edwards helped achieve their seventh consecutive win and their 17th victory in a run of 18 games.
A pivotal moment occurred when after Austin’s pivotal three-pointer, the Panthers only managed to net two of their concluding 15 shots.
Looking ahead, Pittsburgh is set to face North Carolina State away on Wednesday, while Louisville is preparing to host a game against California on the same day.
