Louisville Dominates Eastern Michigan in 87-46 Victory

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Aly Khalifa shined in the second half as Louisville defeated Eastern Michigan 87-46 at the KFC Yum! Center on Monday night. The center made three three-pointers and contributed five assists and three blocked shots, showcasing his skills.

Despite Khalifa’s impressive performance, the standout aspect of the game was Louisville’s defense. The Cardinals restricted Eastern Michigan to just 28% shooting, forced 13 turnovers, and registered six blocks, making it a tough night for the Eagles.

“Our prep is elite,” Khalifa said. “I’ll give all credit to our scout team. They come in early and prep for every game. The standard is the standard, no matter who we’re playing.”

Offensively, Louisville was efficient, with Isaac McKneely leading the team with 17 points, sinking five of his nine three-point attempts. Freshman Mikel Brown Jr. added 11 points, and a total of twelve Cardinals scored during the game. The bench contributed significantly, outscoring Eastern Michigan’s bench 38-11.

Louisville coach Pat Kelsey praised the team’s physicality, saying, “I was proud of our team. I felt like we met that physical challenge tonight. We knew it was going to be that type of game.”

The Cardinals built a lead of 41 points at one point in the game. Even after some second-half slippage, Louisville held Eastern Michigan to just 0.69 points per possession.

McKneely emphasized the importance of defense for the team. “We know we’re very talented on the offensive end, but even if shots aren’t falling, we can still win the game with our defense. And I thought we did that tonight,” he said.

Khalifa noted that the team would need to play physically tough to be successful. He credited their recent game against Cincinnati for building their confidence, stating, “It was great getting out of the gate playing such a long and athletic team. They were really good, really physical, and I feel like we responded well.”

Looking ahead, Khalifa is remaining versatile, saying he will take shots when it’s his time. McKneely affirmed Khalifa’s shooting ability, stating, “Oh he shoots them. You knew it was coming at some point. He’s a very capable shooter. He just needs to shoot it with confidence.”

Next, the Cardinals will play against the New Jersey Institute of Technology at 9 p.m. on Wednesday.