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Ryan McMahan (in top photo) returns from an eight-game absence to provide some much needed leadership. Above, Ray Spalding swats the basketball away with one of his five blocks during the win over Indiana (Cindy Rice Shelton photos).

Fans needing time after this one to catch their collective breath in a game that could have gone in several different directions for either team.

A couple of premier basketball programs struggling to find their way under new head coaches, with lots of misdirection, uncertainty and awkwardness during the adolescence phase of the birthing cycle. Searching for leadership, natural or otherwise, someone to cut through the clumsiness, provide some direction.

A handful of players would step up for the University of Louisville at various points in the game, leading the Cardinals to a much needed 71-62 win over Indiana before a crowd of 20,030 Saturday at the KFC Yum! Center.

Malik Williams, for example, entering the game at the 8:24 mark in the first half, his team behind 25-15, barely hanging on, needing something good to happen.  The 6-foot-11 freshman would make good on three of three 3-point field goal attempts over the next six minutes to pull UofL to within one point at the half.

Deng Adel would lead all scorers with 16 points (Cindy Rice Shelton photo).

Also instrumental in that first half resurgence was Ryan McMahon, who had missed the first eight games of the season. He, too, would also sink a three-pointer during that late second half rally. He will score only three points in the game but the highlight reel will include two marvelous assists to Anas Mahmoud and Dwayne Sutton in the second half.

Ray Spalding would live up to his pre-season hype for a second straight game, coming through with five blocks, two of them when Louisville absolutely had to have them. He would wind up with 10 points and two assists. He had 10 points, four blocks and four steals against Siena on Tuesday.

Deng Adel and Quentin Snider, UofL’s two leading scorers with 16 and 13 points, respectively, would need all the backup they could get on Saturday and they got it. Players creating new roles for themselves, new layers of confidence, and providing something to build on.

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By Charlie Springer

Charlie Springer is a former Louisville editor and sportswriter, a public affairs consultant, a UofL grad and longtime fan.