Chucky Hepburn poured 16 points and pulled out six assists when Louisville met the 20-victory’s mark for the first time in five seasons by beating Notre Dame 75-60 in an Atlantic Coast Conference fight on Sunday evening in South Bend, Ind.
Four other scores finished in double digits for the Cardinals (20-6, 13-2 ACC), including Reyne Smith, which received all 12 points from 3-point intervals.
Terrence Edwards Jr. Added 14 points while J’Vonne Hadley and James Scott made 10 pieces for Louisville, who have won four straight matches and are within a game of first place Duke, ranked as the third in the nation, in the conference position after winning only eight games A season ago.
The Fighting Irish (11-14, 5-9) was looking for their second victory in a row but had no such luck despite a 22-point night from Markus Burton. Tae Davis chipped in 15 points, and Braeden Shrewsberry got 12 to go with six returns.
Louisville only led 35-28 at half and got his lead to three before Smith beat a 3-point with 17 minutes to play to stretch the Cardinals lead to 38-32.
Burton’s questioned 3-pointer with 13:38 left Cardinal’s advantage to 43-38, but Louisville soon had its biggest leadership still at 55-44 after Scott made inside 9:07 left.
Visitors’ leaders met 18 when Hadley drilled back-to-back 3-points to do it 64-46 and forced Notre Dame to call a timeout. Louisville cruised from there.
Shrewsberry struck three shots from long reach early and helped play Notre Dame to a 13-8 lead with 14:59 to play in the opening half.
The Cardinals hung around by quickly making three three points off, including one of Noah Waterman who cut the Irish lead to 18-15 with 13:09.
That shot ignored a 13-0 driving for the cardinals, who were up 25-18 with 8:12 to go until the break.
Smith preserved a trey when the time went out during the first half to send Louisville into the break with his seven-point lead.
-Field level media
