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Unheralded guard plays big role in Louisville's Sweet 16 win over N.C. State

Sophomore guard Anton Gill has been a bit player for Louisville for most of this season. He hadn’t scored a point in the month of March before a meeting with North Carolina State on Friday night in the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament.

Gill came off the bench in the second half to give coach Rick Pitino valuable minutes and seven points in a 75-65 win over his hometown school. Gill is from Raleigh, N.C.

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This one figured to be decided by play in the backcourt. The Wolfpack won at Louisville on Valentine’s Day with Ralston Turner. Trevor Lacey and Anthony Barber combining to score 45 points. The trio started well again Friday helping the Wolfpack take a lead into the locker room at halftime, but Louisville’s guards took over from there.

Gill’s number was called, in large part, because Wayne Blackshear found himself in foul trouble. In a postgame interview with TBS, Pitino said he just shared a story this week with Gill about one of his former players at Providence who didn’t do much throughout the 1987 season but made critical contributions in the postseason. Gill got the message and took an aggressive approach on the offensive end.

"Obviously, we know Anton," N.C. State coach Mark Gottfried said. "I think he's averaging two points a game maybe, and he jumps up and gets seven at the most critical time of the game. You've got to give him credit. That was really the difference, in my opinion. That stretch right there, they had some separation right at that point of the game. That's what the game's about. Players step up and make some plays, and he certainly did for this game."

While Gill’s contribution proved to be important, Terry Rozier’s 17 points and 14 rebounds were vital to the Cardinals advancing to the Elite Eight for the sixth time in 11 years and the third time in the past four.  Rozier took some of the pressure off Montrezl Harrell to be the Cardinals lone rebounding presence. Harrell scored 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

Louisville will play either No. 3 seed Oklahoma or seventh-seeded Michigan State on Sunday with a trip to the Final Four on the line.

Friday’s game between ACC foes was one of small runs. Neither team led by more than eight until Louisville made its final surge in the closing minutes. The Wolfpack upset No. 1 seed Villanova to get to the Sweet 16 but didn’t have another late push to a dramatic win in them. N.C. State was trying to get to its first Elite Eight since 1986. It now has a four-game losing streak in Sweet 16 games.

Still, Gottfried’s team advanced further than many gave them a chance to at the outset of the tournament. Friday’s game capped the memorable career of Turner, who scored 12 points, but managed only three in the second half.

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[Kyle Ringo is the assistant editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at kyle.ringo@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!