Julius Randle came up big at the free throw line, and Aaron Harrison‘s three-pointer with 40 seconds left gave the Wildcats their first lead of the game got the job done for Kentucky, 74—69, against interstate rivals and 2013 NCAA Champion, Louisville.
After Harrison’s big three, Randle ran into trouble on the ensuing Cardinals possession, fouling Wayne Blackshear after an offensive board and giving Louisville a chance to tie with 13 seconds to play. But Blackshear missed his first free throw, and Randle hit both of his. The Wildcats went on to win 75-69 and face Michigan on Sunday.
Louisville senior guard Russ Smith led the Cardinals with 23 points in the loss, but despite going 9-for-20 from the field, he was just 1-for-7 from three-point territory and an abysmal 4-of-10 from the charity stripe.
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