HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

No. 5 Louisville 92, Rutgers 31: Chris Jones had 18 points and six steals as the second-seeded Cardinals overwhelmed the Scarlet Knights in the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference tournament in Memphis, Tenn.

Russ Smith added 16 points and Luke Hancock and Montrezl Harrell scored 13 apiece for Louisville (27-5), which will play sixth-seeded Houston - an upset winner over No. 3 seed Southern Methodist - in Friday’s semifinals. Terry Rozier led the reserves with 14 points as the Cardinals scored the most one-sided win in Division I this season.

The seventh-seeded Scarlet Knights (12-21) didn’t have a player score in double figures as they shot 24 percent from the field and committed 26 turnovers in their final game before moving to the Big Ten next season. Myles Mack led Rutgers with eight points and Kadeem Jack added seven.

Rutgers took its only lead of the game just over three minutes in, but the advantage was short-lived as Harrell made a layup 33 seconds later and the Cardinals never trailed again. Jones followed with the first of his three first-half 3-pointers and by the midway point of the first half Louisville had stretched its lead to double figures.

An 11-0 run increased the lead to 39-14 with five minutes remaining in the half and Louisville didn’t let up, taking a 58-16 lead into intermission. Four players scored in double figures in the first half for the Cardinals, led by Jones with 15 points.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Louisville's 48-point win against Rutgers on Feb. 16 was previously the second-most lopsided Division I game this season behind the 50-point win by Southern over Grambling on Feb. 8. … The Cardinals have won eight consecutive conference tournament games. … Louisville, which finished second in the nation in steals per game (10) during the regular season, had 19 against Rutgers.