PHOENIX — In the end, the mentor got the best of the student. Rick Pitino, burned in the first half by the three-point shooting of Billy Donovan’s Gators, switched from a match-up zone to a pressing man-to-man defense in the second half.
The strategy worked as the Gators, who made eight 3-pointers in the first half, made zero in the second, allowing the Cardinals to rally from an 11-point deficit to beat Florida 72-68 to win the NCAA tournament West Regional final and advance to the Final Four in New Orleans.
The fourth-seeded Cardinals closed with an 18-3 run to steal the victory at U.S. Airways Center. Russ Smith scored 19 points and Chane Behanan added 17 as Louisville advanced to its ninth Final Four. It will be Pitino’s fifth strip to the Final Four. He is already the first coach to lead three different teams to the Final Four and is now 0-7 against his protégé Donovan, who won back-to-back national titles.
Reuters
‘LOU’ CAN’T STOP THIS FEELING: Russ Smith (center) was overcome with emotion as he, Chris Smith (left) and Wayne Blackshear celebrated Louisville’s 72-68 victory in front of Florida’s Patric Young (No. 4) and Erik Murphy yesterday. The Cardinals advanced to the Final Four.
AP
Peyton Siva cut down the nets.
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“I’m happy for Coach Pitino,” said Donovan, who played for Pitino when the Providence Friars reached the Final Four in 1987. “Emotionally, going into the game it’s always difficult because of our relationship. Nobody likes to lose, but I’m happy for him at the end of his career to be able to enjoy this.”
Louisville (30-9) entered the game hoping to keep the nation’s leading three-point shooting team from getting hot from behind the arc. The Gators shredded that gameplan in the first half, burning the Cardinals matchup-zone by hitting 8 of 11 from three-point range to take a 41-33 lead at the break. Considering how well the Gators shot the ball — 66.7 percent from the field — the Cardinals did well to stay at close. Especially because point guard Peyton Siva went to the bench with 6:45 remaining in the half after collecting his second foul.
The Cardinals would trail 39-29 last in the first half and 43-33 early in the second. With senior point guard Erving Walker (12 points, seven assists) from Brooklyn orchestrating the offense, freshman Bradley Beal (14 points) showing the talent that has NBA scouts drooling and center Patric Young (11 points, six rebounds) holding his own against Louisville center Gorgui Dieng, the Gators kept the Cardinals struggling just to stay close.
The Florida lead was 58-47 minutes later after Pitino was called for a technical foul. Walker hit the two technical free throws and two for the foul for a 4-point play. They keep the lead at 11 after a dunk by Young made it 65-54 with 8:16 remaining.
But the Cardinals, having now won eight straight games, would not go away easily. The Big East Tournament champions switched to a man-to-man defense and seventh-seeded Florida couldn’t make anything from three-point range, shooting 0-of-9 in the second half.
Russ Smith, the streak-shooting sophomore from Briarwood, New York, teamed with Behanan to give Louisville a chance. They combined for 12 points that helped cut Florida’s lead to 65-64 with 4:57 to play. After a Florida free throw, Behanan converted a tough shot in the lane to tie the game at 66-66.
The Cardinals would gain their first lead since early in the first half when Behanan buried a short turn-around jumper to put Louisville ahead 69-68 with a one minute left. Louisville kept the lead for good as Florida (26-11) got stone cold.
Pitino was proud of his team, who finished without Siva, who foul out with 3:58 to play.
“It hurts to see Billy lose,” Pitino said. “But this team reminds me of the ’87 team. I’ve never wanted a Final Four more than in ’87. But I’ve never wanted a Final Four more than for these guys. They give me everything they have in their bodies. They’re going to enjoy this experience. But I’ve asked them not be satisfied with just going.”
george.willis@nypost.com
Rick Pitino, the Cardinals, Florida, Florida, Billy Donovan’s Gators, Cardinals, Russ Smith, Gators, Gators, Louisville, Louisville, Cardinals, Patric Young, Patric Young, Chane Behanan, Peyton Siva, U.S. Airways Center
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