Louisville-Virginia preview

Louisville Cardinals (12-17, 6-13) vs. Virginia Cavaliers (17-12, 11-8)

Game Time: 12:01 p.m.

Location: KFC Yum Center: Louisville, Ky.

Television: ESPN2

Announcers: Doug Sherman (play-by-play) and Jordan Cornette (analyst)

Favorite: Virginia by 3

Officials: Ted Valentine, Mark Schnur, Tim Comer

Series: Virginia leads, 18-5

Last Meeting: Virginia won, 64-52, on Jan. 24, 2022 in Charlottesville

Series History:

Possible Starting Lineups:

Statistics:

Relevant Videos:

About Virginia:

Losers of three of their last four, Virginia now has a razor thin margin for error if they want to have any shot at not seeing their streak of seven consecutive NCAA tournament appearances come to an end in eight days. If they defeat Louisville on Saturday, the Cavaliers will be the No. 6 seed for next week’s ACC tournament.

Virginia leads the ACC in scoring defense (60.4 ppg, 12th in the nation). Leading scorer Jayden Gardner (15.5 ppg, 11th in ACC) is among the ACC leaders in rebounding (7.0, 11th in the ACC), field goal percentage (.511, fifth in the ACC) and free throw percentage (.813, sixth in the ACC).

You know their style of play, you know how successful they’ve been against Louisville historically; There’s no point in making this section any longer than it needs to be.

Notable:

—Louisville is just 2-12 against Virginia since joining the ACC in 2014-15, but both of those victories have happened inside the KFC Yum Center.

—Louisville has been victorious in 17 of its last 21 Senior Day games.

—The Cardinals will honor seniors Malik Williams, Mason Faulkner, Jarrod West and Noah Locke on Saturday.

—Fans attending Saturday’s game are encouraged to wear red for the seniors.

—Virginia head coach Tony Bennett is 13-2 lifetime against Louisville.

—Virginia is 7-2 all-time at the KFC Yum! Center, including a pair of wins at the 2019 NCAA South Regional.

—UVA ranks eighth nationally in turnovers per game (9.8), 11th in scoring defense (60.4 ppg), 20th in assist/turnover ratio (1.45) and 19th in personal fouls per game (13.9).

—Sydney Curry has averaged 23 points and nine rebounds in his last two games while shooting 70 percent from the field (21-of-30). His 28 points at Wake Forest was the most for a Cardinal since Jordan Nwora finished with 37 at Boston College on Jan. 29, 2020. Curry’s 13 field goals made (in 18 attempts) were the most by a Louisville player since Russ Smith finished 14-of-22 in a win over Houston in the AAC semifinals on March 14, 2014.

—UVA has held Louisville to 59 or fewer points in 11 of 15 contests since the Cardinals joined the ACC in 2014-15.

—Louisville Director of Basketball Operations Taylor Barnette played basketball his freshman year at Virginia (2012-13) before finishing his collegiate career at Belmont (1,085 career points).

—Mike Pegues is 6-9 as Louisville’s interim head coach this season. He is 1-8 since U of L’s parting of ways with former head coach Chris Mack on Jan. 26.

—Louisville has used 14 different starting lineups in 29 games so far this season.

—This is the first time a Louisville team has dropped at least 17 of its first 29 games since the Cardinals started 11-18 in Denny Crum’s final season of 2000-01.

—Louisville is 216-13 over the last 20 seasons and 13-1 over the last three when scoring 80 points or more. That lone defeat came in this year’s 90-83 overtime loss to North Carolina.

—Louisville is 166-7 over the past 20 seasons when shooting 50 percent or better from the field and 13-0 over the last three.

—Louisville is 14-0 over the past 10 seasons when limiting opponents to no more than one three-point field goal.

—Since 2004, Louisville is 130-0 when leading by more than 10 points at halftime.

—Louisville has won 162 consecutive games when holding an opponent under 50 points.

—Louisville has won 156 consecutive games when scoring at least 85 points in regulation.

Ken Pomeroy Prediction: Virginia 63, Louisville 61