Rooths scores 20 as No. 11 Louisville scorches South Carolina State, 104-45

LOUISVILLE Ky AP Khani Rooths scored points to lead No Louisville to a - rout of South Carolina State in the season opener for both teams on Monday night Rooths a sophomore and one of the minimal returning players for the Cardinals in coach Pat Kelsey s second season posted a career-high in points on -of- shooting and tied his personal best with seven rebounds Isaac McKneely a senior guard who transferred from Virginia scored a dozen of his points in the first half He went for from beyond the -point arc in the first half with his first two igniting a - run at the beginning of the meeting He beat the buzzer with another to give the Cardinals a - halftime lead Rayniel Wright finished with points making of free throws for the Bulldogs who shot just and committed turnovers The Bulldogs who lost six key players from last season s MEAC regular-season co-championship squad started for from the field not getting a bucket during the first After scoring on three of their next four SC State went the final of the first half without a basket The Cardinals ranked in the preseason for the first time in six years returned just one full-time starter from last season s - squad J Vonne Hadley the lone returning starter finished with points The Cardinals shot and assisted on of made shots No Louisville performer played more than minutes Mikel Brown Jr finished with points and six assists in the five-star recruit s Louisville debut Up next South Carolina State travels to play Samford on Friday night Louisville returns to action Thursday night and will host Jackson State Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top throughout the season Sign up here and here AP News mobile app AP college basketball https apnews com hub ap-top- -college-basketball-poll and https apnews com hub college-basketball Source