Louisville dominates Western Kentucky 114-82

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Peyton Siva poured in a career-high 29 points and Louisville raced past Western Kentucky 114-82 on Wednesday night.

Siva added a career-high eight assists as the Cardinals (10-1) easily passed their first road test of the season. Louisville shot 65 percent from the floor and made 16 of 30 3-pointers.

Siva led the way, knocking down four 3-pointers as the Cardinals posted their highest point total in more than a decade.

Sergio Kerusch led the Hilltoppers (5-7) with 21 points and Oklahoma transfer Juan Pattillo added 19 but Western Kentucky had no answer when the Cardinals started making 3-pointer after 3-pointer midway through the first half.

Louisville coach Rick Pitino worried about how his team would react playing away from the KFC Yum! Center for the first time this season. His team's hot shooting quickly eased his mind.

Chris Smith added 18 points for the Cardinals, Preston Knowles and Rakeem Buckles scored 15 points each as Louisville scored its most points since putting up 115 in a win over Tennessee State on Dec. 20, 1999.

The Hilltoppers had hoped a win over the Cardinals would give the team a much-needed boost following a handful of near misses against quality opponents during the first month of the season.

Western Kentucky coach Ken McDonald hoped his players would feed off the electric atmosphere at E.A. Diddle Arena, which was packed for Louisville's first visit in 20 years.

The Hilltoppers were keyed up, perhaps too keyed up. They missed 11 of their first 13 shots, many of them questionable ones early in the shot clock. It allowed the Cardinals to find their footing in their first road game of the season.

Louisville never trailed, though Western Kentucky managed to get within 25-24 on a traditional 3-point play by Steffphon Pettigrew with 7:47 to go in the first half.

It would be as close as the Hilltoppers would get. The Cardinals poured in 30 points during the final 7:30 of the half, knocking down six 3-pointers during the span, the last an off-balance heave from Siva as the halftime buzzer sounded to give Louisville a 57-36 lead.

Siva help up three fingers on both hands as he danced off the floor and the Cardinals had their first road win of the season well in hand.

The Cardinals played without freshman point guard Elisha Justice, who has a concussion and missed his second straight game. Louisville sophomore forward Mike Marra also watched the game from the bench in sweatpants after suffering a sprained ankle in practice on Tuesday.

Marra, one of the team's top shooters, could be out a month. For a night, the Cardinals didn't need him.