Sun Mar 23 19:57:48 2008

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Defensive domination: Louisville slams Sooners

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Birmingham, AL (Sports Network) - Earl Clark scored 14 points to lead as balanced attack as Louisville used a huge first half run to put the game out of reach early, as the Cardinals cruised to a 78-48 rout of Oklahoma in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Jerry Smith added 12 points for third-seeded Louisville (26-8), which will face second-seeded Tennessee in the Sweet 16 on Thursday in Charlotte. David Padgett added eight points, while Andre McGee, Juan Palacios, Edgar Sosa and Terrence Williams all scored seven.

The Cardinals shot a blistering 59.3 percent from the field and scored 25 points off 16 Oklahoma turnovers.

David Godbold scored a game-high 15 for sixth-seeded Oklahoma (23-12), including 4-for-7 from three-point range. Taylor Griffin added 11 off the bench, but the Sooners were held to 31.9 percent shooting by Louisville's stifling defense.

Leading 18-14 midway through the first half, a jumper from Clark set off a 19-2 run that put Louisville up by 21 with just over four minutes left in the half. The Cardinals were never challenged from that point and led by as many as 35 late in the second half as they continued their quest to reach the Final Four for the second time in four years.