Friday night, 24 hours before Marquette would host Louisville, Marquette head coach Tom Crean denied that Milwaukee-native Jerry Smith's debut at the Bradley Center would add to the game.

"I like Jerry, always liked Jerry," Crean said. "The only concern there is not letting him get open threes."

Smith's likability vanished in Crean's eyes when Smith hit a three-point buzzer-beater to give Louisville a 61-59 win Saturday night.

After Dominic James hit one-of-two free throws with 5.5 seconds remaining, Earl Clark inbounded to point guard Edgar Sosa who dribbled to the three-point line and passed to Smith on the right wing. Smith barely got the shot off in time. After spending three minutes reviewing the shot, the referees determined Smith beat the clock.

"I was stressed all night filling out the ticket forms last night," said Smith, a freshman who attended Wauwatosa East. "I had about 50-55 people in the crowd.

"By far the biggest shot of my career. I've missed a couple of game-winners, but that was the first one I've ever made. That's the stuff you dream about."

Smith started the Golden Eagles' nightmarish collapse at the 3:03 mark when he hit a three-pointer, triggering an 11-2 Louisville run to end the game. Smith hit three 3-pointers during that stretch. His second trey made the score 57-56 Marquette with 20 seconds remaining.

On Marquette's ensuing possession, sophomore Wesley Matthews hit one-of-two free throws. Then, Sosa blew by Matthews on the other end for an uncontested layup, tying the score 58-58.

"What I've found throughout the years is you have to make one pass with five seconds left," said head coach Rick Pitino. "I know that UCLA, Tyus Edney went all the way without passing (in the 1995 NCAA tournament). But I've found everybody runs after the ball, and then what happens when you make the one pass is everybody is afraid to foul. So generally you get a good look."

Smith, who scored all his points in the last 3 minutes, 3 seconds, was not the only freshman to carry Louisville. Derrick Caracter came off the bench to score 14 points, including 10 in the first half. Caracter entered the game at the 18:03 mark in the opening half after junior David Padgett picked up three quick fouls.

At times in the second half, the crowd noise and momentum suggested the game was a wrap for Marquette. Sophomore Jerel McNeal and junior Dan Fitzgerald were the leaders of a 13-7 run down the stretch that gave Marquette a seven-point lead with 3:32 to go.

But Fitzgerald's nine points and McNeal's phenomenal performance were spoiled by Marquette's bad foul shooting (15-of-24), and then by Smith.

McNeal had a game-high 18 points while holding Terrence Williams, Louisville's 6-foot-6 leading scorer, scoreless.

"Jerel was excellent," Crean said. "He did a great job defensively. He drew the task of guarding Terrence Williams when we were in man-to-man."

"We had great execution of our game plan. . We just didn't make the free throws, which gave them hope and gave them life, and they made a couple big shots."

A couple big ones followed by Smith's monumental one.