Louisville-Pittsburgh Preview: Cards Look To Sweep Season Series From Old Big East Rival

NO. 9 LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (19-4, 7-3) vs. PITTSBURGH PANTHERS (16-8, 5-5)

Game Time: 8:06 p.m.

Location: KFC Yum Center: Louisville, Ky.

Television: WHAS-11/ACC Network Affiliates

Announcers: Tom Werme (play-by-play) and Cory Alexander (analyst).

Officials: Michael Roberts, Jeffrey Anderson, and Lamar Simpson

Favorite: Louisville by 11

All-Time Series: Louisville leads 9-5

Last Meeting: Louisville won 80-68 on Jan. 25 in Pittsburgh

Series History:

Probable Starting Lineups:

Statistics:

Relevant Video:

About Pittsburgh:

Pitt has won its last three games, including an 83-77 victory over Syracuse at home on Feb. 7 in its last game as forward Jamel Artis totaled 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals to lead five players in double figures for the Panthers. Among Pitt's recent victories was also a 76-72 triumph over No. 10 Notre Dame on Jan. 31.

Sophomore forward Michael Young leads Pitt in scoring (13.2 ppg, 19 double figure scoring games this season) and rebounding (8.0 rpg). Junior guard James Robinson (10.2 ppg) is fifth in the ACC in free throw percentage (.837) and is second in assists (5.1). Artis is averaging a team-best 24.0 ppg during the Panthers' current winning streak, and has scored 20 or more points in all three games.

Ranked third nationally in assist-to-turnovers ratio (1.66), Pitt is 62nd in the current ratings percentage index (RPI).

Notable

--Louisville is one victory away from its 13th consecutive season with at least 20 wins.

--Louisville is 43-11 in the month of February over the last 8 seasons.

--Louisville has won 19 straight same-season rematches at home.

--Terry Rozier has averaged 20.7 points over the last 16 games, scoring over 20 points in eight contests. He has averaged 20.0 points in ACC games, which leads the league. He is second in the ACC in steals.

--Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon is 23-18 all-time against top 10 opponents, and owns a 1-2 mark this season.

--Louisville's 115 victories over the last four years are the most wins in the nation in that stretch. Louisville is the only school in the nation with three straight 30 win seasons, including a school-record 35 victories amassed by Louisville's 2012-13 NCAA Championship team (30 in 2011- 12, 31 in 2013-14).

--Pitt has won 10 of its last 17 road games and 15 of its last 23. In addition, Pitt has won 37 its last 62 road games.

--U of L is 159-9 over the last 14 seasons under Coach Rick Pitino when scoring 80 or more points (20-1 last season, 11-1 in 2012-13). That one loss a season ago came against North Carolina.

--Wayne Blackshear is 116 points away from becoming the 67th member of Louisville's 1,000-point club.

Ken Pomeroy Prediction: Louisville 71, Pittsburgh 58