Chris Gradnigo recorded his season-high in points for the second straight game, tallying 23 at Louisville on Wednesday. It marked the fourth straight outing in which he scored at least 16 points. Louisiana made a season-high 12 triples as a team - the most by a Louisville opponent this season.

Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns made a season-high 12 three-pointers, but Louisville's commanding 44-10 edge in the paint - boosted by 25 offensive rebounds - lifted the Cardinals to an 84-69 victory Wednesday evening at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ky.

The Cajuns (4-7) were led by Chris Gradnigo's 23 points, which was his season-high. Gradnigo set his season-high point total for the second straight game and scored 16-plus for the fourth straight outing.

Randell Daigle backed him up with 21 points on 5-of-8 shooting from three-point range - his third game this season with five triples.

Samardo Samuels paced the Cardinals (8-3) with 29 points and 15 rebounds. He was joined in double figures by Kyle Kuric (13 points) and Preston Knowles (11 points).

Louisville needed less than a minute at the start of the second half to reopen a double figure lead.

The ball was sent inside to Jared Swopshire for a layup at 19:36 as he was fouled. After missing a free throw, Jerry Smith grabbed the loose ball and seconds later Reginald Delk hit a baseline jumper at 19:29 and it was 42-33.

Smith stole the ball from Travis Bureau on the ensuing possession and at 19:09 Edgar Sosa converted a layup for a 44-33 advantage.

Louisiana went without a field goal make from 17:45 through 14:32 and Louisville extended the lead to 16 points, 53-37.

A Daigle triple at 14:32 cut the Louisville lead down to 13 points - the first of four different occasions over the next four minutes that the Cajuns were within that margin. However, each time the Cardinals had an answer and the lead wasn't reduced any further until a pair Javan Mitchell free throws at 5:08 made it 70-58.

The Cajuns wouldn't go away quietly. Gradnigo made a pair of freebies at 4:24 to return the deficit back to 12 points and on the next possession buried a triple at 3:37 to cut the Cardinals lead down to 72-63.

Louisville then broke off a 12-4 run over the next two minutes to put the game out of reach.

It was the first meeting at Freedom Hall since February 1991. Louisville defeated Louisiana for the eighth time in as many meetings.

The teams were even through the game's first three minutes. Gradnigo drew Louisiana into a 7-all tie with a pair freebies at 17:17.

A Daigle triple on the left elbow at 16:09 gave the Cajuns a 10-9 lead at the 15-minute media timeout.

Daigle drove baseline and got a floater to fall in at 12:10 to create the third tie of the first eight minutes, 14-all.

The Cajuns jumped back in front, 17-16, when Ryan McCoy drilled a three-pointer at 10:36. The Cardinals answered with one from Knowles on the next possession and after a Cajuns turnover a quick pass to Samuels in the lane led to an uncontested dunk at 9:54 that upped the lead to 21-17.

Louisville scored 10 of the game's next 12 points to move the lead into double figures for the first time.

Four missed field goals and two turnovers by the Cardinals helped the Cajuns lower the deficit into single digits. Louisiana outscored Louisville 10-3 capped off by a Daigle triple at 1:59 which made it 34-29.

The Cardinals clung to a 38-31 lead at halftime using a dominating inside game that led to a 20-6 edge on points in the paint.

The Ragin' Cajuns conclude non-conference play on Monday, Dec. 28 at the Cajundome against Centenary. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. It's Ragin' Cajuns New Year's Madness as 300-level seating tickets are being sold for $5

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