Saturday noon at the Yum!, Louisville turned it over after gathering the opening tip.

Pitt scored on a third chance follow.

Louisville turned it over on it second possession.

Pitt scored on a fast break slam.

Kenny Payne called his timeout 1:03 into the game.

After two Danilo Jovanovich FTs, and a Ty-Laur Johnson jumper, the Cards pulled within a deuce at 4-6.

The visiting victors quickly pushed their advantage to 9.

The Cards fashioned a couple of mini-runs, but never pulled closer than three before intermission.

Despite connecting on 54% of it FG attempts (13/54) including 4/9 from Treytown, Louisville was down six at the half, 34-40.

 * * * * *

2d stanza disharmony sounds same as the 1st.

Pitt opened with a back door deuce.

U of L turned it over.

The Panthers tallied on a lay up +1, soon pushing the margin to double digits.

The Cards shot 51% for the tilt (24/47) including 48% (10/21) from downtown.

Though technically speaking every shot taken in the Yum! is from downtown. (I must reach for some levity in the midst of this fever nightmare.)

Louisville fell by double digits, 70-83.

The difference, other than that Pitt simply kept the short-handed Cardinals measured, was points off turnovers. The winners were +16, 28-12.

 * * * * *

U of L highlights?

Hmmm.

Beyond Bob Valvano finding Paul Rodgers lost scorebook in the Media Room trash can, there’s this.

Mike James mini-Luke moment.

3/4s Luke?

Midway through the 2d, James went string music from beyond the arc three straight possessions.

Unlike the Wolverines — you know the ’13 sequence to which I refer –who couldn’t’ counter, the Panthers answered with a deuce and a trey. Thus, the interlude ended with Louisville still down four.

 * * * * *

The crowd was understandably sparse.

At tipoff there were 49 attendees in the student section. Exactly. Yes, I counted them.

 * * * * *

It’s not just that this whole situation is terrible, horrible, awful, but . . .

. . . Allison and Bruce, the timeout commercial shills whose mics are cranked way way way beyond 11, are the most annoying, painful issue I’ve suffered, since developing a serious toothache last summer on a late Friday afternoon, and couldn’t get in touch with my dentist’s office until 60 sleepless hours later.

 * * * * *

The national anthem was sung by the granddaughter of Buddy Leathers, who was a little used sophomore reserve on the most overachieving Cardinal squad ever. The 19-12 ’58-’59 contingent that upset Kentucky and Michigan State in the regional to make it to the Final Four.

Her presence was just another reminder of how far my beloved team has fallen.

— c d kaplan