Louisville is currently a 1.5-point favorite over New Mexico almost across the board. It appears as though that line will stick.
Notable Game Notes Facts:
--Cardinals Look to Return to Sweet 16 - Louisville is seeking to reach the NCAA Sweet 16 for the 18th occasion and first time in three years when it faces New Mexico on Saturday. Louisville advanced to its 17th NCAA Sweet 16 appearance in 2009. Only four teams have been to more Sweet 16 appearances than Louisville's 17 since the NCAA began Sweet 16 records in 1975 (North Carolina 24, Kentucky 23, Duke 22 and Kansas 18). Louisville has reached the Elite Eight twice in the last five seasons (2008, 2009).
--With its first-round victory over Davidson, the Cardinals improved to 39-8 when playing as a higher seed in NCAA Tournament competition. This is the eighth time the Cardinals have been a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament (also: 1981, 1989, 1990, 1993, 2003, 2005, 2011). U of L reached the 2005 NCAA Final Four as a No. 4 seed and has an 11-7 record as that seed since the NCAA began seeding teams in 1979.
--Louisville has a 4-1 record in the NCAA Tournament when facing a No. 5 seed, as it will against New Mexico on Saturday. The last time the Cardinals faced a No. 5 seed was March 20, 2005 when No. 4 seed U of L beat No. 5 Georgia Tech 76-54 in the Albuquerque Region of the Tournament in Nashville, Tenn.
--U of L Coach Rick Pitino improved to 13-3 in first-round NCAA Tournament games. His 39-15 record in NCAA Tournament competition (.722) is seventh in winning percentage. He is fifth among active coaches in NCAA Tournament victories. Pitino improved to 31-6 in NCAA Tournament competition when his team is the higher seed. Pitino's teams have reached the Sweet 16 in nine of his 15 previous NCAA Tournament
appearances.