Louisville-Virginia preview: Cards look to end 2015-16 season on high note

LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (23-7, 12-5) At VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (23-6, 12-5)

Game Time: 8:36 p.m.

Location: John Paul Jones Arena: Charlottesville, Va.

Television: ESPN

Announcers: Dave O'Brien (play-by-play), Dick Vitale (analyst) and Allison Williams (sideline)

Officials: Bryan Kersey, Mike Eades, Louis Andrakakos

Favorite: Virginia by 5.5

All-Time Series: Virginia leads 7-4

Last Meeting: Virginia won 63-47 on Jan. 30 at the Yum Center

Series History:

Probable Starting Lineups:

Statistics:

Relevant Videos:

About Virginia:

Virginia (23-6, 12-5 ACC), ranked fourth in both the AP and USA Today coaches polls, has won 10 of its last 12. The Cavaliers defeteated Clemson 64-57 in their most recent game, as Malcolm Brogdon scored 18 points and Anthony Gill added 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Through March 1, Virginia is third in the nation in scoring defense (60.1), fifth in turnovers per game (9.3), seventh in assists-to-turnovers ratio (1.57), 14th in field goal percentage (.489), 11th in three-point field goal percentage (.407) and 12th in free throw percentage (.760).

Virginia is 34-1 in home ACC games over the last four seasons. The Cavaliers have a current 19-game home win streak. Malcolm Brogdon (18.5 ppg, 4th in ACC) has 15 games of 20 or more points this season and has moved into the top 15 all-time scorers at Virginia. Junior guard London Perrantes leads the ACC in three-point field goal percentage (.509, 58-of-114) and senior forward Anthony Gill is second in the ACC in field goal percentage (.553).

Notable

--Saturday night marks the final game of the 2015-16 season for Louisville, which self-imposed a postseason ban on Feb. 5. This will be the first time since 1965 that the Cardinals have ended a season without playing a postseason game.

--Louisville is third the nation in scoring margin (+15.0), sixth in scoring defense (60.9), ninth in field goal percentage defense (.387), 20th in offensive rebounds (13.4) and 27th in rebound margin (+7.1).

--Both Louisville and Virginia can win a share of the ACC regular season title with a win Saturday night coupled with losses by North Carolina and Miami. If that scenario plays out for Virginia, the Cavaliers will be the No. 1 seed at next week's ACC Tournament.

--Louisville will wear the black versions of its adidas postseason uniforms for Saturday night's game. The Cards wore the red version Tuesday night against Georgia Tech.

--Virginia will honor seniors Malcolm Brogdon, Anthony Gill, Caid Kirven, Evan Nolte and Mike Tobey prior to the game.

--Virginia has won 34 of its last 35 ACC games at John Paul Jones Arena.

--Louisville has won at least 23 of its first 30 games for the fourth straight season.

--Virginia ranks third nationally in scoring defense (60.1 ppg), seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.57), 10th in 3-point field goal shooting (40.7%), 13th in free throw shooting (76%), 14th in field goal shooting (48.9%), 26th in turnover margin (2.8) and 27th in scoring margin (10.7).

--Louisville is 155-0 since Jan. 13, 1945 when holding its opponent below 50 points.

--Virginia is 14-0 at home this season.

--Since 2005, Louisville is 63-22 in the month of March, including a 30-7 record over the last five years.

--Louisville has won 20 games for the 14th straight season. The Cardinals are one of four schools to have won 20 or more games each of the past 14 seasons.

Ken Pomeroy Prediction: Virginia 63, Louisville 58