Obinna Ekezie Jr. came off the bench and absolutely went OFF for No. 11 Louisville, dropping 20 points and snatching 13 boards as the Cardinals demolished Morehead State 107-57 on Saturday. This isn’t just about a win, folks, it’s about a 7-foot-2 freshman who reclassified from the class of 2027 showing up and hitting threes, making it clear this Louisville squad is deep and dangerous.
A Freshman Phenom and Bench Mob Taking Over
Ekezie Jr. wasn’t just big in the paint, he was everywhere. The big man shot 8 for 12 from the floor, including a ridiculous 3 of 6 from beyond the arc. Think about that for a second: a 7’2″ freshman hitting half his threes! That’s a nightmare matchup for any team. He was just one of seven Cardinals to hit double figures, showing how much firepower this team has. The Louisville bench was absolutely relentless, pouring in 56 points total. Reserves Karter Knox added 15 points and Isaac Ellis chipped in 10, proving this isn’t just a starting five show. Adrian Wooley also had a monster game with 12 points, five rebounds, and four assists. This kind of depth is what takes a good team and makes them a legit threat.
Second-Half Surge Secures the Rout
The game wasn’t all smooth sailing early, though. Louisville started a bit slow, missing four of their first five shots and coughing up three turnovers in the first four minutes, letting Morehead State jump out to a 9-2 lead. But you knew that wouldn’t last. The Cardinals quickly flipped the switch, hitting 16 of 24 shots to take a commanding 46-33 lead into halftime. They used a quick 17-3 run over a 5:50 span, with Trimble’s 3-pointer pushing it to 42-25, and never looked back. The second half was a complete obliteration. After wilting a bit in their home opener against Chattanooga, Louisville responded by outscoring Morehead State a mind-blowing 40-2 over the first 12:33 of the second half, making 13 of 22 shots during that stretch. Overall, the Cardinals shot 53.6% (37 for 69) and connected on 13 of 38 3-pointers (34.2%). Morehead State only shot 33.3% from the field and 6 of 18 from deep, despite Clayton Parker leading them with 19 points on 4 of 7 shooting from three. Louisville absolutely owned the boards, out-rebounding Morehead State 59-23, grabbing 20 offensive rebounds that led to 28 second-chance points. That’s pure domination.
Louisville is now 2-0, looking every bit like the No. 11 team in the nation. They get a week off to rest up before a big road test, traveling to Memphis next Sunday. Meanwhile, Morehead State plays host to IU Indianapolis next Saturday. Get ready, college basketball, this Louisville team is coming for everything.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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