LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) Taquan Dean scored 19 points, leading four Louisville players in double figures, and the 10th-ranked Cardinals cruised past Fairleigh Dickinson 89-66 Wednesday night.<br>
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Brandon Jenkins had 17 points, David Padgett added 16 points and seven rebounds and Juan Palacios 13 points and seven rebounds as Louisville (10-1) took control midway through the first half.<br>
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Andrea Crosariol led Fairleigh Dickinson (5-6) with 19 points, but the visitors from the Northeast Conference simply could not keep up with the Cardinals.<br>
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In the last of nine home games in December, the Cardinals started to show some of the polish they'll need heading into Big East conference play. Louisville plays at Miami on Saturday before hosting third-ranked Villanova next Thursday in the first Big East game in school history.<br>
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The Cardinals won their 13th straight home game including their ninth this month but had hardly looked dominant this season until Wednesday.<br>
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Louisville outrebounded the Knights 45-36, had 14 steals and pushed the tempo with ease.<br>
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The Cardinals opened the game with the same sluggishness that plagued them early in the season. Louisville turned the ball over nine times in the first 9 minutes, many of the them unforced miscues.<br>
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Still, the Cardinals were hardly challenged. Louisville's defense played as well while its offense was struggling, holding the Knights to 29 percent shooting in the first half as the Cardinals built a 37-20 lead at the break.<br>
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For the first time all season, the Cardinals went to full-court pressure extensively and used it to score 32 points on 22 turnovers by Fairleigh Dickinson.<br>
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The Cardinals played without reserve guard Brad Gianiny, who missed the game with a stomach virus.<br>
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(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
