Originally published March 26, 2005 at 12:00 AM | Page modified March 26, 2005 at 10:16 PM

Men's NCAA Tournament

Louisville denies West Virginia spot in Final Four

West Virginia couldn't miss. Louisville wouldn't quit. In the end, it was Louisville rallying from 20 points down for a scintillating 93-85 OT win Saturday.

The Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – West Virginia couldn't miss. Louisville wouldn't quit.

In the end, it was hobbling Taquan Dean, tenacious Larry O'Bannon and the Cardinals who wound up with a ticket to the Final Four, rallying from 20 points down for a scintillating 93-85 overtime win Saturday in the Albuquerque Regional final.

After watching the seventh-seeded Mountaineers go on an unbelievable shooting skein through most of the first 35 minutes, Rick Pitino did one of the best jobs of his storied career, coaxing out the win and making history by becoming the first coach to take three programs to the national semis.

This one was about more than Pitino, though.

The fourth-seeded Cardinals (33-4) had every reason to pack it in during the first half, when the seventh-seeded Mountaineers (24-11) made 10 3-pointers in staking their 38-18 lead, the hoop looking as wide as the Shenandoah River back home.

Louisville pulled within arm's distance many times in the second half, but on every occasion, it would be Johannes Herber or Kevin Pittsnogle making a 3 to keep the Mountaineers ahead.

Not until O'Bannon slithered through the defense and made a layup with 38 seconds left did Louisville tie it at 77 — the first tie since 3-all. And not until the overtime began did West Virginia finally start missing.

Led by a 3-pointer from Dean, who made seven and finished with 23 points, and four free throws by O'Bannon, the Cardinals opened it up in overtime.

When the buzzer sounded, Pitino started hugging players, and O'Bannon chucked the ball toward the ceiling at The Pit, which hosted a game almost as exciting as the 1983 final when Jim Valvano and North Carolina State won their improbable championship.

E-mail article Print Share

More Sports

NFL, union resume labor talks at mediator's office

UPDATE - 08:52 AM
Hundreds attend funeral for fallen Mich. player

UPDATE - 09:40 AM
Norway's Tarjei Boe wins men's biathlon at worlds

Crying is OK, but admitting it is apparently not

NEW - 08:46 AM
Tripoli ruled unsafe for international soccer

More Sports headlines...