In a highly anticipated matchup, the Louisville men’s basketball team will face off against Virginia at the KFC Yum! Center on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcasted on CW, with local coverage provided by WBKI-TV in Louisville.
Coming off a tough loss to No. 12 Duke, the Cardinals are currently on a four-game losing streak. On the other hand, Virginia has been on a three-game winning streak, including an overtime victory over NC State in their last game.
The history between these two teams heavily favors Virginia, as Louisville has only won one of their last 18 meetings since 2016. In fact, the Cardinals hold a 5-23 all-time record against the Cavaliers and have struggled at home, with a 4-10 record against Virginia. Their last home victory against the Cavaliers came in 2020.
Louisville has been dealing with lineup changes throughout the season, utilizing eight different starting lineups. Despite the challenges, they have managed to win three out of the five games in which they have used a new starting lineup. Only 13 teams in the country have started at least 12 players this season, according to Ken Pomeroy.
The Cardinals are nearing the end of a tough stretch of games against top teams in the ACC standings, including NC State, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Duke, and now Virginia. These teams have a combined league record of 28-11, making these matchups even more challenging.
In recent games, Louisville has shown improvement from beyond the arc, shooting 41% from three-point range over the last six games. They have also had a positive assist-to-turnover ratio in six of their last nine games, a feat they only accomplished twice in their first 10 games. The Cardinals have been efficient from the field, shooting 45% or better in their last six games.
Both coaching staffs have experience at the professional level. Kenny Payne, an assistant coach for Louisville, was selected in the NBA Draft in 1989 by the 76ers. Tony Bennett, the head coach of Virginia, was drafted by the Hornets in 1992. They are among the 29 Division I head coaches who were NBA Draft picks.
During the last six games, redshirt sophomore Mike James has been a key contributor for Louisville, averaging 17.8 points per game. He has been efficient from the field, shooting 50.7% overall, 59.1% from three-point range, and 80% from the free-throw line. Junior forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield has also been impressive, averaging 15.0 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 62.8% from the field in the last 10 games. He has registered five double-doubles in his last 10 games, a significant improvement from his first 68 games of his career.
In their last meeting, Virginia dominated Louisville, securing a 77-53 victory. Despite shooting well from inside the arc, the Cardinals struggled from beyond the three-point line, going 6 of 25 on the night. Virginia took control early in the game and never relinquished the lead, shooting 52% from the field. Isaac McKneely led the Cavaliers with 18 points, while freshman guard/forward Curtis Williams was the top scorer for Louisville with 14 points.
As the Cardinals look to end their losing streak and secure a much-needed win, they will have to find a way to overcome the tough challenge posed by Virginia. With history not on their side, Louisville will need a strong performance from key players like Mike James and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield to come out on top.
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