Steve Jones

@stevejones_cj

Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points and the No. 7 Louisville basketball team overcame 17 3-pointers by Virginia Tech to win 94-90 on Saturday The Cards improved to 22-5, 10-4 ACC, and Virginia Tech fell to 18-8, 7-7.

Final: Louisville 94-90: Mitchell finishes with 26 as U of L hangs on.

2H, :05.6, UL 92-88: The Hokies closed within 89-85 and had the ball, but Justin Bibbs missed a three with 22 seconds to go. After Snider made two free throws, Outlaw hit a three with 7.3 seconds left, but Virginia Tech's Zach Leday was called for an intentional foul on the inbounds play. Johnson made 1 of 2 free throws to seal the game.

2H, :37, UL 89-85: VT will get possession after the rebound goes out of bounds.

2H, 3:24, UL 86-79: Outlaw's latest three cuts U of L's lead to three, but Johnson responds with a shot in the lane, then hammers an alley-oop on a lob from Adel. That came after Mahmoud got an offensive board. Big-time dunk.

2H, 10:54, UL 65-53: Cards got up by as many as nine, but Seth Allen has hit three 3-pointers in the past two minutes. Snider has also hit a three. VT is 13/19 on 3s in just a remarkable performance from deep. U of L is 9/15 itself. Mitchell has 20 points.

2H, 14:12, UL 57-53: Six-point possession for Louisville has the crowd rocking. McMahon hits a three as VT's Outlaw is called for an off-the-ball foul. Shot counts, and ball stays with Louisville. It swings back to McMahon, who drills another three from the right corner. As loud as arena has been all year. 9 points for RM.

2H, 15:36, Tied 51-all: Good shooting by both teams again to start half. VT has hit another three and now has 10 for the game. Mitchell has two more FTs and is up to 18 points. He did miss a shot from the floor tho. Hilariously, VT coach Buzz Williams sweated through his dress shirt in the first half and has changed into an orange Virginia Tech T-shirt.

Halftime, VT 44-43: Snider goes most of the length of the court in the final seconds for a last-second layup to cut UofL's deficit to one at the break. Mitchell has 16 to lead Louisville, which is 6/11 on 3s. But VT, which has 11 points from Outlaw, is 9/14 from 3-point range. Hokies shooting 56 percent in all.

1H, :26.6, VT 43-42: Mitchell hits another three - he's now got 16 points (6-6 FGs, 4-4 3s), but VT has hit two more threes and now has nine. One of them was another bank shot from the wing. Hokies got up by as many as four after trailing by 10 about 6 minutes earlier

1H, 2:39, UL 36-35: Virginia Tech got down 30-20, then has responded with 15-6 run. Hokies keeping it close by being aggressive on drives and making threes. They now are 7/12 from deep, including Robinson just banking in one from the right corner (near-impossible angle).

1H, 7:44, UL 29-20: How's for this UofL backcourt - Jay Henderson, David Levitch and Ryan McMahon. That's who the Cards had out there for a few minutes to give Snider-Adel-Mitchell a break while Hicks and King are hurt. McMahon promptly drilled a three, and Henderson drove for a layup. Ray Spalding flings up a shot after a post pass from Mangok, and it somehow banks in while he's fouled. Cards are playing very well and have a big height advantage over VT, who has been using no one taller than 6-7.

1H, 11:56, UL 18-16: Mitchell stays hot with his third three (starting 5/5 overall) and has 13 points in the first six minutes. Spalding and Mahmoud, who backed down for a turn-around layup in the post, are the first two subs for UofL. Allen hits VT's fourth three to draw within 18-16. Mahmoud and Spalding swat away a couple Leday shots.

1H, 15:13, UL 13-9: Probably in response to the guy who rushed the court during a timeout last week vs. Miami, there's an LMPD officer behind each bench at every timeout today.

1H, 15:13, UL 13-9: Mitchell off to a really hot start as makes another long two-pointer out of the timeout, then banks in a three from the right win for Louisville's first 10 points. Outlaw has also hit another three, so all 9 points for VT have come on threes. Snider has hit a three, too. Hokies will have FTs out of the break.

1H, 17:47, VT 6-5: Outlaw hits a three to start the game, Mitchell responds with two jumpers, including a three from the left wing, and Bibbs nails a three from the right wing. Pitino takes a timeout.

1H, 20:00: Louisville starters are the same: Snider, Johnson, Mitchell, Adel, Mathiang; VT starters are Sy, Robinson, Bibbs, Hill, Outlaw

PREGAME

12:40 p.m.: Should mention Louisville has a big group of junior day football recruits visiting, as well as, most notably Tennessee running back Jalen Hurd on an official visit as he considers a transfer to U of L. Lonnie Galloway and Lorenzo Ward sitting with Hurd at the football game.

A couple other notables expected: four-star Calif. QB Tanner McKee, four-star South Warren LB Justice Dingle, four-star Cincy LB Xavier Peters, three-star Cincy-area DL Tyler Bentley, three-star Indy DB Julius Brents,

12:38 p.m.:

12:15 p.m.: The Cards are expected to be without wing V.J. King (thigh bruise) and Tony Hicks (broken hand). This was once mentioned as possible return game for Hicks, but a new X-ray revealed he has more healing to do and probably will be out two more weeks.