Louisville-Pitt preview: Cards look for ninth-straight win over Panthers

NO. 14 LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (13-3, 1-2) vs. PITTSBURGH PANTHERS (12-4, 1-2)

Game Time: 7:05 p.m.

Location: KFC Yum Center: Louisville, Ky.

Television: Regional Sports Network (Fox Sports South in Louisville)

Announcers: Tim Brando (play-by-play) and Dan Bonner (analyst)

Officials: Roger Ayers, Michael Roberts, Michael Stephens

Favorite: Louisville by 11

All-Time Series: Louisville leads 12-5

Last Meeting: Louisville won 67-60 on Feb. 24, 2016 in Pittsburgh

Series History:

Probable Starting Lineups:

Statistics:

Relevant Videos:

About Pitt:

Entering Wednesday night with a 1-2 record in ACC play, Pitt will be taking on its third ranked opponent in four games. The Panthers, like Louisville, lost to Notre Dame, falling 78-77 in overtime. Unlike Louisville, Pitt took care of Virginia with an 88-76 overtime win over the Cavaliers at home. In their most recent outing, Pitt lost 77-66 at Syracuse in a game where the Orange shot 52.9 percent.

The Panthers, who start four seniors, are 27th in the nation in assist to turnover ratio (1.37), 41st in scoring offense (81.3 ppg) and 33rd in free throws made (18.2 per game).

Pitt is one of three teams in the country with two players averaging over 20 points in Michael Young (22.3 ppg, 10th in the nation) and Jamel Artis (21.5, 17th in the nation), who are the top two scorers in the ACC. Artis leads the ACC in three-point percentage (.457, 42-of-92, 19th in nation) and has made 15-of-24 in three league games (.625).

Notable:

--Louisville has won eight consecutive games against Pittsburgh, its third longest active winning streak against a power five conference opponent. The Cardinals have won 11 straight games against Virginia Tech, and 10 straight against Rutgers.

--Louisville is second in the nation in blocked shots (6.9 bpg).

--Louisville's Deng Adel, who was kneed in the head against Georgia Tech, will play in this game but will not start.

--Louisville's Matz Stockman will miss his third straight game after suffering a concussion.

--This will be Pitt's third game against a ranked opponent this season. The previous two both went to overtime.

--Pitt's Michael Young (22.3 ppg.) and Jamel Artis (21.5 ppg.) rank fi rst and second, respectively, in the ACC in scoring. The duo has combined to average 47.5 points per game over the past six contests.

--Donovan Mitchell is tied for the ACC lead and is 23rd in the nation in steals (2.2 per game).

--Louisville has a 34-16 record during the month of January over the last seven years, including a 18-7 record in the last four years.

--Louisville has a 29-8 record in its conference home games over the last five years (.784), including an 8-1 record last season.

--Louisville's 159 victories over the last six 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).

--Pitt is 2-14 all-time against teams ranked No. 14 in the AP Poll.

--Pitt is averaging 15.0 offensive rebounds per game in league play. The Panthers own a +10.6 rebound margin with a 45-25 edge on the offensive glass through three conference games.

--The Panthers are averaging a league-best 10.3 three-point field goals per game in league play, while ranking second in three-point percentage (.437). Jamel Artis is 15-of-24 (.625) from behind the arc in ACC play.

--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).

Ken Pomeroy Prediction: Louisville 77, Pittsburgh 64