Louisville Report

Gallery/Postgame: The Ville 79, Jackson TN Underdawgs 74

The Louisville men's basketball alumni team is heading to the Louisville Regional final of The Basketball Tournament.

Matthew McGavic

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Ville didn't have as easy of a time in the second round of The Basketball Tournament, but they still captured a win nonetheless.

The Louisville men's basketball alumni squad was tasked with facing an upset-minded Jackson TN Underdawgs team at Freedom Hall on Thursday night. While there were times where it felt like an upset could be brewing, The Ville still secured a 79-74 win to advance to the Louisville Regional final.

"We knew it was gonna be a slugfest in terms of physicality, and not getting everything," The Ville head coach Mark Lieberman said. "It was just a street fight, in the basketball sense. Every cut was contested, every shot was contested, every every rebound is physical, guys just going in there. That was old school Big East basketball, basically."

The Ville got another 20-point performance from Russ Smith and a double-double from Chane Behanan, but like in their opener, non-UofL alums played a big role in avoiding the upset. Most notably, William & Mary graduate Omar Prewitt collected 13 points, most of which came in the second half to put some distance between them and the Underdawgs.

"I look at myself as a utility guy on this team, just plug me in when you need me, where you need me," Prewitt said. "I know I'm not the go-to guy, I may not be the best defender, the big man, but I got a little bit of game, too. I can show up when I need to show up."

Below is what Lieberman, Prewitt and Russ Smith had to say following the win over the Jackson TN Underdawgs, as well as a photo gallery from the matchup:

Ben Soloman via TBT

(Photo of Russ Smith: Ben J. Solo via TBT)

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Matthew McGavic
MATTHEW MCGAVIC

McGavic is a 2016 Sport Administration graduate of the University of Louisville, and a native of the Derby City. He has been covering the Cardinals in various capacities since 2017, with a brief stop in Atlanta, Ga. on the Georgia Tech beat. He is also a co-host of the 'From The Pink Seats' podcast on the State of Louisville network. Video gamer, bourbon drinker and dog lover. Find him on Twitter at @Matt_McGavic

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