Previewing Pikeville

Louisville (0-0) vs. Pikeville (2-0)

Tip Time: 7:06 p.m.

Television: WHAS-TV will televise the game, with Drew Deener (play-by-play) and Bob Valvano (color) calling the action. Coverage will begin on WHAS-TV, channel 11 in Louisville, at 7 p.m., while being simulcast on the station's digital 11.2 channel. At 8 p.m., coverage will shift exclusively to the digital 11.2 channel for the remainder of the game. WHAS-TV's 11.2 channel is televised on Insight cable channel 432 and on Comcast channel 207.

Radio: WHAS (840 AM) will broadcast the game, with Paul Rogers (play-by-play) and Doug Ormay (color) calling the action.

Series History: Louisville defeated Pikeville last season 74-55 in an exhibition game that marked the first meeting between the two programs.

Officials: Lamar Simpson, Alfred Smith, Bo Boroski

About Pikeville:

--The 2011 NAIA national champs were picked to finish second in the Mid-South Conference this season and currently own a national ranking of No. 9. They've opened the season with a pair of blowout victories, defeating St. Andrews 105-64 and Knoxville College 108-72.

--Former Cardinal Elisha Justice is now playing for UPike, and will be presented with his Final Four ring this evening. He will not play in the game, however, because of a bone bruise in his left knee.

--Hobo McCoy is still a member of Pikeville's team and it seems as though he's going to get more run this season. He drilled five treys in the Bears' last win.

--Senior guard Jamar "Deuce" Briscoe is a D-I caliber player who comes into tonight averaging 24.5 ppg.

--Trevor Setty really rubbed me the wrong way last year.

Additional Notes:

--Louisville has won 25 straight exhibition contests dating back to an 87-86 double-overtime loss to the Global Sports All-Stars on Dec. 2, 2000. Louisville has not lost an exhibition game in regulation since the Athletes in Action dropped the Cards 74-62 on Dec. 9, 1996, in Freedom Hall.

----Pikeville's final field goal percentage of .292 (19-for-65) in last year's game was the second-lowest for a Louisville exhibition opponent since 1981-82 and lowest since Kentucky Wesleyan shot 28.6 percent (18-for-63) on Nov. 3, 2004. The Bears' second-half mark of .267 (8-for-30) was the worst for a Cardinal exhibition foe since Carleton shot 26.5 percent (9-for-34) on Oct. 29, 2007.

--Do I have to wear the Red Cardinal Football shirt? This is an enormous issue both tonight, this weekend and going forward.