Highlights, Photos and Notes: Louisville 78, Eastern Kentucky 76

The highlights, photo gallery and team & player notes from the Cardinals' win vs. the Colonels.

Dec 28, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Terrence Edwards Jr. (5) shoots the ball against Eastern Kentucky Colonels guard George Kimble III (3) during the second half at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville won 78-76. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville men's basketball program was able to avoid a complete disaster on Saturday, needing some last-second heroics to take down Eastern Kentucky 78-76 on Saturday. Noah Waterman hit the go-ahead layup with 1.2 seconds left.

The Atlantic Coast Conference put together a highlight tape of the matchup, which you can see here:

Team Notes:

• KEY FIRST HALF RUN: Louisville used a 16-4 run spanning 2:34 to stretch the lead to 15 late in the first half. The run was capped off by a three-point basket by Terrence Edwards Jr who scored eight of his 17 first half points during the Cardinals' run.
• KEY SECOND HALF RUN: Eastern Kentucky fought back to start the second half, going on an 18-4 run that elapsed 4:31, to give the Colonels a 61-59 advantage for their first lead since 17:56 in the first half. UofL answered with a run of their own, using a 12-0 run to stretch the lead back to double digits with 6:31 remaining to bring the score to 71-61.
• Louisville shot 24-64 (44.8%) from the field, 11-36 (30.6%) from deep and 19-24 (79.2%) from the free-throw line.
• The Cards had five players in double figures including Terrence Edwards Jr. (20), J’Vonne Hadley (15), Chucky Hepburn (14), Noah Waterman (12), and Reyne Smith (12).
• This win marks the first time in eight years where Louisville has won a game with only six players scoring. The last time came in 2016 after a 73-70 win vs. Kentucky on December 21.
• The Cardinals out-rebounded EKU 47-32.

Player Notes:

• Terrence Edwards Jr. earned his fifth 20-point game of the season and the 21st of his collegiate career with 20 points to go along with eight rebounds and an assist, steal and block. Edwards shot 50% from the field and from behind the arc, going 6-12 and 3-6, respectively.
• J'Vonne Hadley posted his fourth double-double this season, his seventh of his career, scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 boards to go along with three steals and two blocks.
• Chucky Hepburn chipped in 14 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and a steal in 33 minutes of action.
• Reyne Smith contributed 12 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals in 32 minutes of play off the bench.
• Noah Waterman had 12 points, three rebounds and an assist on the afternoon. Waterman hit the game-winning layup to put Louisville ahead by a point with a second remaining in the game.

Gallery:

Dec 28, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Terrence Edwards Jr. (5) reacts during the second half against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville won 78-76. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Dec 28, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Chucky Hepburn (24) scrambles to get the ball from Eastern Kentucky Colonels forward Mayar Wol (1) during the second half at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville won 78-76. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Dec 28, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Terrence Edwards Jr. (5) shoots the ball against Eastern Kentucky Colonels guard George Kimble III (3) during the second half at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville won 78-76. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Dec 28, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Chucky Hepburn (24) shoots the ball against Eastern Kentucky Colonels guard Turner Buttry (0) during the second half at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville won 78-76. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Dec 28, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Eastern Kentucky Colonels guard Jordan Crawford (2) attempts to steal the ball from Louisville Cardinals guard Reyne Smith (6) during the second half at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville won 78-76. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Dec 28, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard J'Vonne Hadley (1) shoots the ball against Eastern Kentucky Colonels forward Yvens Paul (21) during the second half at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville won 78-76. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Dec 28, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Chucky Hepburn (24) dribbles the ball against Eastern Kentucky Colonels guard George Kimble III (3) during the second half at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville won 78-76. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Dec 28, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Chucky Hepburn (24) shoots the ball against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels during the second half at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville won 78-76. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Dec 28, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals head coach Pat Kelsey reacts during the second half against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville won 78-76. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Dec 28, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Terrence Edwards Jr. (5) shoots the ball against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels during the second half at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville won 78-76. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Dec 28, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals center Frank Anselem-Ibe (13) blocks a shot against Eastern Kentucky Colonels guard George Kimble III (3) during the second half at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville won 78-76. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Dec 28, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard J'Vonne Hadley (right) drives to the basket against Eastern Kentucky Colonels forward Mayar Wol (left) during the second half at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville won 78-76. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Dec 28, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals forward Khani Rooths (9) posts up against Eastern Kentucky Colonels guard Jordan Crawford (2) during the first half at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville won 78-76. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Dec 28, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals forward Khani Rooths (9) pulls down a rebound against Eastern Kentucky Colonels guard Tyler Andrews (25) during the first half at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville won 78-76. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Dec 28, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Eastern Kentucky Colonels forward Devontae Blanton (right) dribbles the ball against Louisville Cardinals guard Chucky Hepburn (24) during the first half at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville won 78-76. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

NOTE: Photos courtesy of Jamie Rhodes.

You can follow Louisville Cardinals On SI for future coverage by liking us on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram:

Facebook - @LouisvilleOnSI
Twitter/X - @LouisvilleOnSI
Instagram - @louisvilleonsi

You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter/X and @mattmcgavic.bsky.social on Bluesky