The University of Louisville basketball program has seen many amazing performances from individual players over the years, just far too many to mention. But it will be a long time before anyone eclipses Chucky Hepburn’s unforgettable five minutes and 11 seconds in the first half against Pittsburgh on Saturday, March 1.
Hepburn would send the crowd of 18,459 fans at the KFC Yum! Center into a frenzy during the closing minutes. He would hit hit his first 3-pointer at the 5:11 mark to put UofL ahead 22-20. He would follow it up with five more consecutive 3-pointers. He would score the last 18 points of the first half, giving him 24 points in the first 20 minutes and the Cardinals a 39-33 lead at the intermission.
No matter what happens the rest of the season, Chucky Hepburn has carved himself a special place in the hearts and memories of the Cardinal faithful. A player with incredible basketball I.Q., with the talent and speed to go with it, born to play the game. The definition of a point guard, who always knows where his teammates are and finds them, but with the ability to be the shooting guard when his team needs one.
Hepburn would at times pass up some open shots but would wind up as the leading scorer with 37 points. That was on nine of 11 field goal attempts, including six of six from behind the 3-point line. He would also hit 13 of 17 free throw attempts. He would also make four rebounds and have two assists. He will usually have at least twice more more assists but Louisville needed him to be a shooter in this game. Final score was Louisville 79, Pittsburgh 68.
“Chucky had a game that he’s going to tell his grandchildren about,” said Coach Pat Kelsey. “That stretch before half was as amazing of a point guard play. It kind of looked like Steph Curry out there. Even the one after the whistle, he kind of threw up and it went in. I played basketball my whole life, and I’ve never been in a zone like that. I struggled to score in an empty gym.”
“I have never seen anyone get that hot and go on a run like that,” said UofL’s Terrence Edwards in the post game press conference. “That kind of opened up the game. We had kind of been struggling on offense and it just boosted us and go us over the hump.”
“My teammates did a great job of finding me, creating shots for me,” said Hepburn. “As soon as I felt a couple of shots go in, the rim just felt like it was the ocean. I was just throwing it up there and they were going in.”
Hepburn makes Louisville a dangerous opponent whether he’s managing the offense or leading the offense. He is, believe it or not, UofL’s leading scorer with 457 points for the season and averaging 16.3 points per game. What make this even more impressive is that he’s also leading the team in assists with 167 for the season. Edwards is second with 77 assists.
Yes, an unforgettable exhibition. Will go down in my memory with the Kyle Kuric jaw-dropping show while closing out games in Freedom Hall and the game-saving production of Luke Hancock in the Big Dance vs Michigan. Sure hope Chucky saved some for the rest of this season! Go Cards.