Louisville vs. Evansville game preview, prediction, TV info, streaming

LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (0-0) vs. EVANSVILLE PURPLE ACES (0-0)

Game Time: 7:02 p.m.

Location: KFC Yum Center: Louisville, Ky.

Television: ESPN3/ACC Network Extra

Announcers: Kent Taylor (play-by-play) and Jody Demling (analyst)

Officials: Bert Smith, Jerry Heater and Louie Andrakakos

Favorite: Louisville by 22

All-Time Series: Evansville leads, 13-12

Last Meeting: Evansville won 92-82 on Dec. 2, 1957 in Evansville

Probable Starting Lineups:

Statistics:

Relevant Video:

About Evansville:

Evansville posted a 25-9 record last season -- its best in 27 years -- and reached the championship game of the Missouri Valley Conference before falling to Northern Iowa (see above). The Purple Aces have six seniors on their roster, led by guard Jaylon Brown, who averaged 10.8 points and was named to the MVC Most Improved Team last season as UE's starting point guard.

Finishing No. 92 in last years RPI, Evansville was 12-6 in road or neutral site games last season. The Purple Aces have won at least 20 games in three of the last four years and are 30-9 over their last 39 games.

Evansville won the 2015 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, beating Northern Arizona in the championship game. The Aces own a 13-12 advantage over Louisville in a series which dates back to 1924, although it has been 59 years since the teams last met. 

Evansville was picked to finish ninth in the preseason Missouri Valley Conference poll, with Wichita State as the league favorite. That Shocker team could face Louisville in the semifinals of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament later this month.

Notable:

--A win by Louisville on Friday night will be the 100th for the Cardinals inside the KFC Yum Center.

--Louisville has won 38 consecutive home games in November, a streak which dates all the way back to a loss to Vanderbilt on November 30, 1972. The Cards are 25-0 in November games played inside the Yum Center.

--Louisville has won 46 of its last 47 non-conference games played inside the Yum Center.

--Louisville has won 15 straight home openers, the longest such streak in program history.

--Louisville's 146 victories over the last five years are the fifth-most wins in the nation in that stretch. The Cards are one of just three teams to win at least 30 games in three of the last five seasons (30-10 in 2011-12, 35-5 in ‘12-13, 31-6 in ‘13-14).

--Louisville is one of just four schools which have won 20 or more games in each of the last 14 seasons (also Kansas, Duke and Gonzaga).

--Louisville has opened with an 11-1 record each of the last four seasons.

Ken Pomeroy Prediction: Louisville 77, Evansville 59