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LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Russ Smith really didnt care about being top scorer in his home finale with Louisville because passing to open teammates was the better choice. The star guard is showing he can be pass-first when needed. Just ask Cardinals forward Montrezl Harrell, who scored 20 points while Smith recorded a career-high 13 assists as No. 11 Louisville routed No. 19 Connecticut 81-48 on Saturday to claim a share of the American Athletic Conference championship. The Cardinals (26-5, 15-3) finished tied with No. 15 Cincinnati atop the league. A postgame coin flip went to Cincinnati and left Louisville with the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament. The Cardinals still got to hoist a trophy thanks to Smiths generosity. "Russ does so much for our team," said Harrell, who added 11 rebounds and several thunderous dunks. "He doesnt just worry about scoring. He had like (three) points tonight and 13 assists, so how does he not make us better? ... Right now, hes just worried about us winning, and thats what we need." Smiths performance was appreciated by a sellout crowd that gave him a standing ovation as he went to the bench with 4:22 left in the game. The reception capped a joyous day as he and fellow seniors Luke Hancock, Tim Henderson and Stephan Van Treese were honoured as the programs winningest class. Their achievements included winning last years NCAA championship. All played key roles in Saturdays 116th win together. Smith made just one of two shots but topped his previous assist high by two. Hancock added 16 points while Henderson added an early basket on feeds from Smith. Van Treese grabbed 13 rebounds. "It was just getting the ball to my teammates to get the ball movement going," said Smith, whose audience included nine NBA scouts. "When I looked at the film after the first UConn game, I was very sloppy with the rock. I wasnt handling the ball as well as I should have. I negated any discrepancy about turning the ball over. I just kicked it out to other teammates." Louisvilles defence, meanwhile, frustrated the Huskies (24-7, 12-6) into season lows in scoring and shooting (29.4 per cent) in completing the sweep. Their previous shooting low was 29.6 per cent in a loss to SMU. "I didnt see anything like this coming," said UConn coach Kevin Ollie, whose team still earned the No. 4 seed. "And Im glad it came because now we know how tough we have to be to be a champion. "We werent tough enough. We werent together enough. Louisville took every opportunity to take advantage of it. ... Thats what champions do." Wayne Blackshear added 11 points and Chris Jones 10 as Louisville won this matchup between two of the past three NCAA champions. While the defending champion Cardinals werent always smooth in beating the Huskies, they shot 45 per cent (26 of 58) from the field and mounted a couple of second-half runs to put the game out of reach. DeAndre Daniels 17 points led UConn, which had its four-game winning streak snapped and dropped to 0-4 at the KFC Yum! Center. Senior guard Shabazz Napier managed nine points on 2-of-13 shooting just days after scoring 26 points including a career-best seven 3-pointers in a win over Rutgers, Emotion preceded the game as Louisville honoured the seniors who helped earn the schools third national championship last spring. Smith as expected drew the loudest cheers from a red-clad sellout crowd as a montage of his and teammates shining moments was played on the video screen, which included a shout-out from rapper Pit Bull. Louisvilles 30-18 lead at the break eventually grew to 34 with 91 seconds left to put fitting end to a fond farewell to the seniors -- especially Smith. "Its a special class because for four years they totally did things for all the right reasons," Louisville coach Rick Pitino said. Of Smith, he added, "how would you ever imagine Russ Smith knowing on Senior Night he would pass up all opportunities to score and get 13 assists? That shows you how much hes grown. If any pro scouts wondered tonight whether he could be a point guard, I think the thing is all closed." Jimmie Foxx Jersey . With nothing tangible at stake, the Raptors turned in their most impressive outing of the fall in their seventh and second to last exhibition tilt against their stiffest competition yet, but they lost a couple starters in the process. Xander Bogaerts Jersey .Y. - The NFL has fined Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch $20,000 for making an obscene gesture during last Sundays NFC championship game, a person with knowledge of the fine told The Associated Press on Thursday. http://www.theredsoxteamshop.com/Red-Sox-JD-Martinez-Kids-Jersey/ . -- Sami Salo joked that as the shootout went on and on, one thing went through his mind: "Youve got to tie up your skates. Ted Williams Jersey . Future Hall of Famer Ricky Ray is in his prime and back for a third season in double blue. The 34-year old was magnificent in 2013, throwing for just under 2,900 yards despite missing eight games, tossing an impressive 21 touchdowns against just two interceptions, completing 66 per cent of his passes in the process. Fred Lynn Jersey .com) - A top-10 showdown is on tap in at the McKale Center on Saturday, as the 10th-ranked Arizona Wildcats play host to the eighth-ranked Utah Utes in a key Pac-12 matchup.RALEIGH, N.C. -- Jaromir Jagr could always score goals -- and on this night, a bunch of New Jersey Devils did as well. Jagr had a goal and two assists, and the Devils scored four goals in the third period of a 5-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night. Jagrs goal with 3:29 left was the 692nd of his career, tying him with Steve Yzerman for eighth on the NHLs all-time list. In his previous game, he passed longtime Pittsburgh teammate Mario Lemieux. Next up: Mark Messier at 694. "I dont really chase anything," Jagr said. "I enjoy my teammates and my linemates. I enjoy the game, the way we play. Our line, I like the way our line played. When Im happy about our game, I know the goals are going to come. "Thats why I dont really worry about it," he added. "If theres no chances to score goals, then I would start worrying about it." There certainly were plenty of them late in this game. Adam Henrique scored the go-ahead goal on a power play with 7:58 left after Andrei Loktionov tied it with 11:17 remaining. Dainius Zubrus then added a goal off a deflection and also had an assist, after Mark Fayne scored an early goal. Eleven Devils showed up on the score sheet, and that helped them snap a three-game losing streak and match the season scoring high they set in a 5-0 win over Nashville on Nov. 10. "I didnt see (the big third period) coming," coach Peter DeBoer said. "But I felt good about where our game was and our ability to get a couple of goals in the third period." Jeff Skinner and Jordan Staal scored in the second period to give the Hurricanes a 2-1 lead. "This games all about consistency," Carolina coach Kirk Muller said. "If youre going to go out and not play 60 (minutes) and just a couple guys are passengers ... youre not going to win the majority of hockey games. And we didnt have enough from a few guys and ... a chain reaction, it costs you in other parts." Cory Schneider stopped 16 shots in his first start since Nov. 21 for New Jersey. Cam Ward mmade 26 saves in his fourth straight start for the Hurricanes.dddddddddddd The Devils trailed 2-1 entering the final period before the goals came in bunches. "They wore us down late in the game," Muller said, "and it cost us." Loktionov tied it with 11:17 left when his shot trickled past Ward. After a hooking penalty to Carolinas Riley Nash, Henrique won an offensive-zone draw before chipping in the rebound of Eric Gelinas shot high past Ward to make it 3-2. Zubrus then redirected a slap shot from Jon Merrill 1:50 later to put the Devils up by two goals. Jagr finished the scoring with his 36th career goal against the Carolina-Hartford franchise. "You have to keep the faith," Jagr said. "We just had to battle through it and hope Wards not going to make all the saves." That huge third came after the Hurricanes -- who scored three goals in the second period of a 4-3 win over New Jersey two nights earlier -- struck twice in the middle period on Friday. Skinner tied it at 1-all 1:53 into the second when he whipped the rebound of Ryan Murphys shot past Schneider. Then, after a melee in front of Ward created a 4-on-4 situation, Justin Faulk found Staal behind the Devils defencemen at the blue line. Staal beat Schneider low to his glove side on the breakaway that gave Carolina its first lead at 6:34. That came after Fayne gave the Devils a 1-0 lead when he scored his first goal of the season with 1:40 left in the first. He fired a loose puck that beat a screened Ward high. "I liked our game right from the drop of the puck," DeBoer said. "I thought we had good energy, good legs. We created a lot of things. ... We found our game again in the third." NOTES: The Devils activated D Anton Volchenkov from injured reserve before the game and had him in the lineup. ... Carolina D Mike Komisarek was in the lineup for just the seventh time this season and first since Nov. 18. ... Gelinas rang the left post with a slap shot with about 14 minutes left in the second -- seconds before the dust-up in front of Ward. 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