(Sports Network) - Edgar Sosa scored a team-high 16 points and Samardo Samuels added 14 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks, as 20th-ranked Louisville downed East Tennessee State, 69-56, at Freedom Hall.

Preston Knowles finished with nine points and five boards for Louisville (2-0), which got off to an impressive start in its season opener by crushing Arkansas, 96-66, on Tuesday.

"We struggled a lot shooting the basketball tonight, because we took challenged shots, something we've been trying to stay away from - we were 1 of 10 from challenged shots," Louisville head coach Rick Pitino said. "We didn't create good ball reversal and we paid for it by being sluggish."

Justin Tubbs led all scorers with 18 points and grabbed seven boards for East Tennessee State (1-3), which has dropped three straight since opening the season with a victory over Appalachian State. Micah Williams donated 12 points.

"We're never pleased with losing," ETSU head coach Murry Bartow said. "With our best player out, Mike Smith, I thought our guys competed hard, fought hard; certainly a step up from our last game."

East Tennessee State got out to a brief 10-7 lead five minutes in after Williams hit from beyond the arc, but the advantage proved short lived.

A pair of free throws by Jared Swopshire sparked Louisville on a 22-6 run and the Cardinals were up 29-16 with four minutes left in the half after Knowles hit two from the line. Louisville had a comfortable 37-21 cushion at the break.

The Cards continued to hold a double-digit lead throughout the second half, and after Sosa drained a three-ball with just over five minutes remaining, Louisville was ahead by a 60-42 margin and cruised the rest of the way.

Game Notes

This was the first-ever meeting between Louisville and East Tennessee State on the hardwood...Tommy Hubbard ended with nine points, nine rebounds and four steals for ETSU.



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