Pitino Wins No. 500: After whiffing on their first two opportunities, the Louisville Cardinals got coach Rick Pitino his 500th career victory by beating Marshall 85-75. The Cardinals bounced back from losses to Dayton and Purdue by applying suffocating defensive pressure in the second half to pull away from the Thundering Herd. The victory gives Pitino a career record of 500-185, making him the 17th active Division I coach with at least 500 wins.
Pitino’s 500th victory coincided with the return of sophomore forward Derrick Caracter. Pitino suspended Caracter last week because he violated his curfew. After missing one game because of the suspension, Caracter scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds. [12/18/07]
