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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 5:25 p.m., Saturday, March 14, 2009

CBKB: No. 5 Louisville wins first Big East title

By JIM O'CONNELL
AP Basketball Writer

NEW YORK — Louisville's sweep of its first Big East titles ended Syracuse's overtime run in regulation.

Earl Clark had 13 points and 10 rebounds to lead the fifth-ranked Cardinals to a 76-66 victory over No. 18 Syracuse on Saturday night, giving the regular-season champs their first Big East title.

The conference's first five-day tournament will be remembered as well for the Orange and their run to the final game that included the epic six-overtime win over Connecticut in the quarterfinals and a more mundane one-overtime victory over West Virginia in the semis.

Louisville's pressure defense is tough on a team with plenty of rest. It was really troubling for a team that had played nearly an extra game of overtime in a four-day span.

The conference title in their fourth season in the Big East will probably translate into a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament for the Cardinals (28-5).