Louisville opens ACC play with 77-51 drubbing of Pitt

New year, new season.

Louisville bounced back from a disappointing 29-point loss at Kentucky last Friday with a 77-51 stomping of Pitt Tuesday night at the KFC Yum Center.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that each of Louisville’s next 17 ACC games figure to be more difficult than the one the Cardinals played Tuesday night. But hey, that’s for another time. This time, tonight, is about reminding the world that David Padgett has never lost an ACC game. Because people forget.

Kidding aside, it was comforting to see U of L respond to its first major dose of (on court) adversity in an appropriate fashion. Louisville seized control of the game in the opening minutes, and outside of a 7-0 Pitt run to begin the second half, the Cards never really let momentum get out of their grips.

Quentin Snider scored 19 points to lead four Cardinals in double figures. Deng Adel (12), Ray Spalding and Ryan McMahon (10) were the others.

Tuesday will also forever be remembered as the night Kevin Stallings went from fun guy to point and laugh at to mortal enemy of the program.

This would be in poor taste for any coach, but a coach of the worst Power 5 team in America who also has his own history of not so glowing headlines ...

Yeah, maybe the high road’s not for you.

By the way, this was Louisville’s 11th straight win over Pittsburgh. It was also the Cards’ 8th win in their last 10 conference openers.