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LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Angel McCoughtry survived a gash to her forehead and had 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead Louisville past Kentucky 80-65 on Thursday night. McCoughtry, the preseason Big East player of the year who leads the nation in points and steals, scored 14 of the team's first 23 points and had 16 at halftime. She scored only seven points in the second half after missing most of the period after colliding with Kentucky forward Victoria Dunlap. It was Louisville's seventh straight win and fourth straight victory against the Wildcats (4-6), who hadn't played a game in 12 days because of final exams. Candyce Bingham had 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Cardinals (8-2), who led 47-24 at halftime. The Wildcats outscored the Cardinals 17-4 to start the second half, cutting Louisville's lead to 51-41 when Amani Franklin made two free throws. Kentucky pulled as close as 58-46 when Lydia Watkins sank two free throws with 9:31 left, but made its run primarily with McCoughtry out of the game. McCoughtry went to the locker room to get stitches with 16:19 remaining after colliding with Dunlap near the 3-point line. She returned with a cross-shaped bandage that covered her forehead and bridge of her nose with 8:34 remaining and Louisville clinging to a 58-48 lead. Kentucky has now lost five of its last seven games. Amani Franklin led Kentucky with a career-high 18 points while sophomore Carly Ormerod finished with four points after missing the previous two games with a toe injury. (Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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