University of Toledo
Louisville
Rockets Fall To No. 11 Louisville, 92-56
12/30/2003 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 30, 2003
By CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Luke Whitehead had 19 points and nine rebounds and Nate Daniels scored a career-high 18 points as No. 11 Louisville overcame the loss of Francisco Garcia to beat Toledo 92-56 on Tuesday night.
Garcia, Louisville's leading scorer, hurt his left knee in the first half and did not return. The injury did not appear serious, however, as Garcia spent most of the second half jumping and cheering from the bench as the Cardinals (8-1) pulled away in their first game since Saturday's upset at then-No. 2 Kentucky.
Taquan Dean added 14 points for Louisville, which improved to 21-1 in December games during Pitino's three seasons.
The Cardinals shot 53 percent (30-of-57) and scored 34 points off 20 turnovers to beat a nonconference opponent at Freedom Hall for the 22nd straight time.
Keith Triplett scored 15 points for Toledo (7-2), which had beaten a ranked team on its last two Dec. 30 games - No. 14 Michigan State last year and No. 18 Cincinnati in 2000.
The Cardinals took control with an early 10-0 run, triggered by smothering defense.
Louisville trailed 5-2, then pressured the Rockets into four straight turnovers.
Allen Pinson scored inside to end a 4-minute Toledo scoring drought, but Garcia converted a three-point play and Dean hit a 3-pointer over the next minute to push Louisville's lead into double digits.
The Cardinals were up 39-23 when Garcia bumped his left knee defending Sammy Villegas with 4:06 left before halftime. Garcia stayed in the game for 3 more minutes, then limped to the locker room with a trainer.
Garcia didn't take the floor with his teammates after halftime and the Rockets hit their first two shots of the second half to pull within 48-38.
Pitino called a timeout and the Cardinals responded with an 11-2 run.
Garcia, dressed in warmups, returned to the Louisville bench at the 16-minute mark, with the Cardinals up 59-40.
Even without Garcia, the Cardinals extended the lead past 30 with overwhelming defense, crisp passing and hot shooting.
The Rockets missed 15 of their first 21 second-half shots, while the Cardinals hit 12 of their first 16 with nine baskets produced by assists.
Toledo, averaging 80.5 points, shot 29 percent (9-of-31) in the second half.
