March 16, 2013

Recap | Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery

No. 2 Louisville 69, No. 6 Notre Dame 57
Records: Louisville (28-5); Notre Dame (25-9)

Louisville advances to the BIG EAST Championship final for the third straight year and the fourth time overall. The Cardinals improved to 4-1 all-time in the semifinal round of the tournament.

Louisville has won six straight games in the BIG EAST Championship, which is the fifth-longest winning streak in tournament history.

Louisville improved to 4-0 all-time against Notre Dame in the BIG EAST Championship.

Louisville guard Peyton Siva tied the BIG EAST Championship single-game record with seven steals. He becomes the 11th player to register seven steals in a tournament game and the first since Louisville’s Terrence Williams did so against Syracuse in the 2009 final.

Peyton Siva also set Louisville’s career steals record tonight. His seven steals give him a school-record 236 in his career, passing the old mark of 230, held by Darrell Griffith.

Peyton Siva has scored double figures in eight consecutive games in the BIG EAST Championship.

Louisville’s Russ Smith went 3-for-4 from the free throw line and broke the school’s single-season record for made free throws. Smith has hit 179 foul shots this year, passing Wes Unseld’s mark from of 177 from the 1967-68 season.

Louisville coach Rick Pitino picked up his 13th career win in the BIG EAST Championship, tying P.J. Carlesimo, Rollie Massimino and John Thompson III for fourth all-time.

Notre Dame’s Pat Connaughton hit three 3-point field goals and finished with 15 for the tournament. That total trails only the tournament record of 16, set by Syracuse’s Gerry McNamara and James Southerland (who tied the mark today).