Louisville-South Florida Preview

LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (16-3, 5-1) AT SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS (10-8, 1-4)

Game Time: 7:02 p.m.

Location: Sun Dome: Tampa, Fla.

Television: ESPNU

Announcers: Jason Benetti (play-by-play) and Tim Welsh (analyst)

Favorite: Louisville by 13.5

Officials: Mark Whitehead, Rick Crawford and Kevin Fehr

All-Time Series: Louisville leads 27-4

Last Meeting: Louisville won 59-41 last February in Tampa

Series History:

Probable Starting Lineups:

Statistics:

Relevant Video:

About South Florida:

South Florida, which has been without star point guard Anthony Collins for the past eight games, has dropped four of five after falling 61-54 to then-No. 19 Cincinnati on Saturday. They've shot just 39.9 percent from the field over their last four games.

Louisville will be the second of three straight ranked opponents for South Florida, which visits No. 23 Memphis on Sunday. The Bulls haven't beaten the Cardinals at home since Jan. 31, 2001.

Victor Rudd (15.3 ppg/7.1 rpg) is the engine that makes the Bulls go. The preseason All-AAC second team honoree is just 22 points shy of becoming USF's 18th 1,000-point scorer. Freshman forward Chris Perry (9.3 ppg/5.7 rpg) has been named the AAC Rookie of the Week four times already this season.

Notable:

--South Florida has not defeated a ranked opponent since knocking off Louisville on senior day at the Yum Center in 2012.

--Louisville ranks in the top five nationally in four different categories, including No. 1 in scoring margin (+20.6). Two of the other top-five ratings come from the defensive end, with the Cardinals boasting the No. 3 ranking in total steals (186) and steals per game (9.8).

--USF  is 202nd in turnovers per game (12.9) and 217th in turnover margin (-0.5).

--The Cardinals have started at least 5-1 in their conference games five times in Coach Rick Pitino's 13 seasons at U of L (also 2009, 2005, 2004, 2003).

--Louisville is 11-1 in games played at South Florida when the Cardinals are ranked.

--USF's 469 free-throw attempts rank second in the AAC behind only Louisville's 493.

--Louisville is the defending Division-I national champion.

Ken Pomeroy Prediction: Louisville 77, South Florida 64