Louisville’s Montrezl Harrell was ejected from the Cardinals 76-67 victory over Western Kentucky after he threw a punch in the first half.
Louisville SID Kenny Klein confirmed that Harrell was ejected on a Flagrant 2 foul, not for fighting. The ACC will reportedly review the play and can add a suspension if it deems it’s warranted.
Louisville’s next game is Tuesday against Cal-State Northridge.
“He deserved to get ejected,” Cardinals coach Rick Pitino said on Fox Sports 1 after the game.
“I used to coach Charles Oakley [with the Knicks], I saw that every night.”
Harrell apologized after the game.
“It was a heated situation,” Harrell said. “Everything took a turn for the worse. It’s bad that I overreacted in the heat of the moment, and I just want to apologize to my teammates. I want to apologize to the University of Louisville and apologize to my coaching staff. I know I shouldn’t have acted that way and I’m truly sorry.”
Without Harrell, Louisville guard Terry Rozier went for 32 points in the win.
“Terry Rozier is a 6-1 version of his man, D-Wade,” Pitino said. “He idolizes him, he mimics him, great basketball player.”
Looming ahead is Louisville’s showdown with No. 1 Kentucky Dec. 27 in Louisville. The Wildcats crushed UCLA, 83-44, later Saturday.
Pitino recently said Harrell is “the best player in the nation.”
He is projected as a lottery pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
