University of Louisville men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino says he placed a call to the Cards cheerleader who was whistled for a technical foul at the end of Sunday’s win against Pittsburgh. The incident gave Pittsburgh a chance to force the game into a second overtime.It happened as time was running out in the first overtime and the Cards leading by five points.Thinking the game was over after a score, cheerleader Jordan Alcazar grabbed the game ball and threw it in the air in celebration. But there was still half a second on the clock, and Alcazar was whistled for a technical foul. Pittsburgh then made its two free throws but couldn’t hit a game-tying shot at the buzzer.Pitino says he spoke to Alcazar a few hours later."I said 'look, we won the game, it would have been a big deal if we lost the game, so enjoy your moment of glory and have some fun with it. Twenty years from now your children—keep the footage—your children will be able to laugh about it. It’s very comical now, but don’t do it again,'" Pitino said Tuesday.Alcazar wasn't disciplined.The Cards play their home finale Wednesday against Providence.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.