There have been some magnificently exciting U of L/ Syracuse games through the decades.

In no particular order:

When Syracuse, then #4 led by Pearl Washington and Rony Seikaly, arrived to a jammed packed and raucous Freedom Hall for a Saturday afternoon national TV game. (When that meant something.)

And left with their orange burnt.

Cards 83-73.

There was the greatest 2d half Cardinal comeback I can recall in the Big East tourney during the ’13 championship season. Hello Trez.

Cards 78-61.

And, of course, when Syracuse was #1, in what shall be remembered forever and always as the Kyle Kuric game. In ’10, a sweet kiss goodbye to the greatest hoops arena ever, Freedom Hall.

During U of L’s slamfest in the 2d, the SRO throng was singing the body electric. It was the loudest ever in the Cardinal’s storied history in the Grande Dame.

Cards 78-68.

Saturday night in a moribund Yum! Center, uh, well . . .

 * * * * *

The first half was so predictably familiar.

Cards led 7-5 after a Tre White slam.

Thirty seven seconds and 7 consecutive ‘Cuse tallies later, the Cards were down 7-12.

Which disadvantage dwindled to three at 26-29, thanks to Syracuse’s relative inefficiency at the charity stripe.

But . . . there’s always a but this season isn’t there . . . but the visitors ran off 8 in a row, before a Mike James layup triaged the bleeding.

Temporarily.

‘Cuse had the ball out under the Cards hoop after a timeout with :05 to go until halftime.

Against absolutely zero resistance, they blitzed the ball the length of the hardwood for an uncontested dunk.

39-28 Orange at the break.

 * * * * *

The second half also seemed like deja vu all over again.

U of L fell behind by double digits, then went on a 10-0 run to pull relatively close.

They continued to plug along, cutting their deficit to 4 with :34 to play.

Never closer.

Final: Syracuse 82, Louisville 76.

Louisville’s disconnect with fundamentals was apparent on one particular play early on in the 2d.

For some reason known only to Red Autry, Jim Boeheim’s former player and replacement, the Orange never have anybody along the lane when they are shooting FTs.

Maliq Brown missed a FT when his team was up 46-37. None of the Cards blocked him out, and 1 on 4 he rebounded his own miss. Syracuse then scored during the possession to push its lead to 11.

So it goes.

Two regular season games remain.

— c d kaplan