:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51797049/usa-today-9668673.0.jpg)
Louisville got its 2016-17 season off to a terrific start by pasting visiting Evansville 78-41 Friday night. The victory marked U of L's 100th inside the KFC Yum Center.
Jaylen Johnson kicked off his junior season with a monster effort, posting career highs in both points (19) and rebounds (14). He led the Cardinals in both statistics. Donovan Mitchell added 15 points, while Mangok Mathiang -- playing in a regular season game for the first time since last December -- notched nine points and grabbed eight rebounds.
The victory was Louisville's 16th straight in a home opener, and also extended a 39-game November home winning streak that dates all the way back to 1972.
There were a few anxious moments for the Cardinals in the first half, however. After Evansville's Jaylon Brown banked in a 3-pointer to give the Purple Aces a 26-20 advantage, a furious Rick Pitino called a timeout to let his team have it. Louisville responded with a 23-1 run that allowed to take a 43-27 lead into halftime.
U of L didn't look back in the second 20 minutes, limiting Evansville to 14 points in the half and running away with its first victory of the season.
Here's the Cardinal box score:
| STARTERS | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. MathiangF | -- | 4-10 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
| J. JohnsonF | -- | 9-11 | 1-1 | 0-2 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 19 |
| D. AdelF | -- | 1-8 | 0-3 | 4-5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| D. MitchellG | -- | 6-11 | 2-6 | 1-2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| Q. SniderG | -- | 0-1 | 0-1 | 3-4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| BENCH | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS |
| A. MahmoudF | -- | 5-5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| R. SpaldingF | -- | 1-4 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| V.J. KingF | -- | 0-1 | 0-1 | 6-8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| M. StockmanC | -- | 2-3 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| T. SharpeG | -- | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| R. McMahonG | -- | 0-2 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| T. HicksG | -- | 2-5 | 0-1 | 0-2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| J. HendersonG | -- | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D. LevitchG | -- | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TEAM | 30-63 | 3-15 | 15-27 | 19 | 33 | 52 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 17 | 78 | |
| 47.6% | 20.0% | 55.6% |