The GRC Cardinals are headed to the Final Four for the first time since 1990!

The Cards were able to grind out a 43-38 win over the Pikeville Panthers today in what was an extremely physical back and forth game. 

GRC was able to jump out to a 9-2 lead and force Pikeville to use an early timeout. After the timeout the hot offense for the Cards cooled off a bit.

The game was decided on the defensive end with which team could create the most stops. Both teams were held to their lowest points scored all year.

Neither team had their best shooting nights either. The Cards were 14-45 from the floor, 2-21 from beyond the arch. The Panthers were 14-50, 5-24 from deep. 

Early in the game the Cardinals’ big man got in foul trouble; by the three minute mark in the first quarter Edwards had picked up his second foul. That gave Stanley Smothers the opportunity to get some minutes. He wasn’t able to score but he still played solid defense and grabbed a couple rebounds to where he helped the Cardinals keep their lead. 

Tanner Walton and Jerone Morton both led the team in scoring with 11 each of the Cards 43 points. Walton finished with a double-double, grabbing 10 rebounds as well.

The Cardinals defense was able to force 11 Pikeville turnovers and scored 10 points off of them. Pikeville only had 3 points of the 8 turnovers they forced, and was outscored 20-18 in the paint. 

GRC was able to lead the whole game but things got a little wild late. The Cardinals led by 7 with 32 seconds left, looking like they were going to be able to pull out the win stress free.

Pikeville quickly came down and hit a three and took a timeout and cut the lead to four with 26 seconds left. Out of the timeout the Cards were able to get out in transition but weren’t able to score.

Pikeville got the rebound and drained another three, which they hadn’t made all game. In just 20 seconds the Cards saw their 7 point lead become 1 just like that.

The Cards were able to extend the lead back to three after senior Aden Slone drained two free throws with 6 seconds on the clock.

Morton fouled a Pikeville player on the inbound, in which he missed the one and one and the Cards were able to secure their victory. 

It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t pretty for the Cardinals, but it’s March which means it’s one game at a time to survive and advance.

The Cards will face 31-7 Lincoln County tomorrow in the early game, for a trip to the state championship.

Tomorrow the Cards could have the opportunity to win their first state title since 1951 when head coach Letcher Norton led the Cards to victory.

GRC is two wins away from history and it’ll all go down tomorrow at Rupp Arena.

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