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Dec. 13, 2006

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• Head Coach Rick Pitino

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -Rashaun Freeman scored 21 points and Massachusetts held off Louisville's second-half charge to beat the Cardinals 72-68 Wednesday night.

Massachusetts (9-2) led 41-26 at halftime despite not making a field goal for the last 6:23 of the half, and Louisville (5-3) held the Minutemen scoreless for almost five minutes at the start of the second half.

The Cardinals began the second half with five straight points to pull to 41-31.

Then Louisville went on a 10-2 run led by Terrence Williams' eight consecutive points to trim the lead to 47-41 with 10:34 to play. Louisville continued to chip away, tying the game at 53 with about 4 1/2 minutes to go.

But the Minutemen took charge, scoring the next eight points over two minutes.

Williams, the only other player in the game to score in double figures, also had 21 points, all in the second half.

Louisville trailed by as much as 17 points in the first half. The Cardinals' only lead of the game came after a layup by freshman swingman Earl Clark made it 9-8 with about 16 minutes in the half.

Freeman's bucket gave the lead back to Massachusetts and ignited a 13-point run that ended with a pair of free throws by Stephane Lasme, giving the Minutemen a 21-9 lead five minutes later. Freeman scored seven of Massachusetts' first 13 points.

Massachusetts held Louisville to 23 percent field-goal shooting and outrebounded the Cardinals 21-15 in the first half.

Louisville point guard Andre McGee played for the first time since having surgery Nov. 21 to repair torn cartilage in his knee. He played 11 minutes.

Wednesday's game was Louisville's annual Billy Minardi Classic. Minardi, Louisville coach Rick Pitino's brother-in-law, was killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.