Louisville coach Rick Pitino instructs his team during the first half of the Cardinals' 71-58 home win over Connecticut Friday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville found a way to slow down Connecticut star Kemba Walker. Now that they’re finally healthy, there may be no stopping the Cardinals.

Peyton Siva scored 15 points, freshman center Gorgui Dieng posted his first career double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, and No. 16 Louisville rolled by the punchless 13th-ranked Huskies 71-58 Friday night.

“Our defense was incredible,” said Louisville coach Rick Pitino. “This was definitely, defensively a gem.”

The Cardinals (20-7, 9-5 Big East) bounced back from a loss at Cincinnati Wednesday by harassing Walker into a rare off night.

The national player of the year candidate finished with 16 points — five below his season average — on 3-of-10 shooting and received a technical foul late in the second half after venting his frustrations at officials.

“We were just trying to stop Kemba, it’s a challenge,” Siva said. “He’s unguardable. I just wanted to get in there and bother his shot.”

Jamal Coombs-McDaniel also scored 16 points for the Huskies (20-6, 8-6), but UConn ran out of gas after taking its only lead of the game early in the second half.

“Quite frankly, we didn’t have anybody, except Coombs, to lead us, including number 15 (Walker),” said UConn coach Jim Calhoun. “We just couldn’t find anybody to play the way we wanted to play.”

While UConn sagged, Louisville surged. The Cardinals took control for good with a 15-4 burst to sweep the season series from the Huskies for the second straight year.

Dieng, forced into action after starter Terrence Jennings ran into foul trouble, held his own against UConn’s bigger, more experienced front line of Alex Oriakhi and Charles Okwandu. His long arms helped the Cardinals hold a 40-36 edge on the boards and overcome a subpar night from senior captain Preston Knowles, who had six points on 2-of-13 shooting but added seven assists.

Louisville notched its eighth straight 20-win season and all but secured a spot in the NCAA tournament, not bad for a team considered an afterthought in the Big East.