Syracuse barely escaped with a 52-51 win at Louisville on Monday, their first win against the Cardinals in seven tries.

"You're going to get in games like this in the tournament. I don't care who you are. You've got to be ready to be able to make those plays at the end of games," Jim Boeheim said. "If they make a play, hit one shot, the end, we lose. In the tournament, you go home and you're going to play teams like Louisville and teams just as good or better."

"Our defense was getting crucial stops when we needed them," C.J. Fair said. "And, defense wins games."

"It was a defensive battle and they came up with the plays at the end," Louisville coach Rick Pitino said. "I'm very, very disappointed that we lost the game."