MARTIN, Tenn. (AP) -
Dana Evans scored 22 points and No. 6 Louisville outlasted UT Martin 71-63 in double overtime Thursday night after trailing for nearly all of regulation.
Kylee Shook and Diop each added 15 points for the Cardinals (11-1). Louisville took the lead for good with 3:05 left in the second overtime.
“You’ve got to have the mindset that every game is important and that you’re trying to win every single game, not just win enough to make the NCAA Tournament,” Cardinals coach Jeff Waltz said. “I’m trying to get back to a Final Four and win a national championship. I don’t care who we are playing, our goal is to get better.”
Damiah Griffin led the Skyhawks (4-6) with 25 points and 10 rebounds.
“The kids’ effort was unbelievable. We’ve just got to figure out how to make easy shots,” UT Martin coach Kevin McMillan said. “We’ve got to do the little things to win at this level and we’re just not at this level. We’ve got to grow up and learn how to finish games off and I hope we will.”
The Cardinals made 18 of 20 free throws, while the Skyhawks were 15 of 28.
BIG PICTURE:
Louisville: The Cardinals found a way to avoid an upset in their nonconference finale, wrapping up a string of seven straight road or neutral-site games at 6-1.
UT Martin: The Skyhawks kept pace with a much bigger, more physical ranked opponent, giving the young Ohio Valley Conference squad momentum going into a road contest with No. 20 Arkansas.
UP NEXT:
Louisville: Host Syracuse on Sunday in its Atlantic Coast Conference opener.
UT Martin: At No. 20 Arkansas on Sunday.
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