Louisville-Wake Forest preview

Louisville Cardinals (2-13, 0-4) vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (10-5, 2-2)

Game Time: 3 p.m.

Location: KFC Yum Center: Louisville, Ky.

Television: ACC Network

Announcers: Mike Monaco (play-by-play) and Chris Spatola (analyst)

Favorite: Wake Forest by 9

Series: Louisville leads, 9-3

Last Meeting: Wake Forest won 99-77 on Feb. 26, 2022 in Winston-Salem

Series History:

Probable Starting Lineups:

Louisville

• G El Ellis (6-3, 180, Sr.)
• G/F Mike James (6-5, 215, R-Fr.)
• F Jae’Lyn Withers (6-9, 220, R-Jr.)
• F Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (6-10, 250, So.)
• F Sydney Curry (6-8, 270, Sr.)

Wake Forest

• G Tyree Appleby (6-0, 175, Gr.)
• G Cameron Hildreth (6-4, 200, So.)
• G Damari Monsanto (6-6, 200, R-Jr.)
• F Andrew Carr (6-10, 220, Jr.)
• C Matthew Marsh (7-0, 250, S0.)

Statistics:

Relevant Videos:

About Wake Forest:

The styles are much different, but the profile of this Wake Forest team is eerily similar to the one Louisville just saw from Syracuse. The Demon Deacons have been up and down so far this season, taking an early loss to Loyola Marymount, but more recently scoring ACC victories over Duke and Virginia Tech.

The primary catalyst to the Deacs’ success so far this year has been diminutive guard Tyree Aplleby, a Florida transfer who spent his first two seasons of college ball at Cleveland State. Appleby has been a stat stuffer for Steve Forbes all season long, and enters Saturday averaging 18.3 points and 5.7 assists per game. He’s scored 20 or more points six times and is 7-of-11 from three over the last week and a half.

Louisville has struggled all season long with making someone other than their opponent’s best player beat them. If that trend continues Saturday afternoon, Appleby could put up some gaudy numbers.

Sophomore guard Cameron Hildreth, a native of England, has significantly upped his production in his second season at Wake. He’s currently averaging 11.3 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds despite standing just 6’4. Damari Monsanto (10.9 ppg) and 6’10 Delaware transfer Andrew Carr (10.7 ppg) also head into the weekend averaging double figures in scoring.

The Deacs play at one the faster speeds in the ACC and they can light up the scoreboard. Louisville must, must, must do a better job of taking care of the ball and not hoisting forced shots from the outside if they want to have any chance to steal their fist ACC victory.

Notable:

—Louisville will honor the 40th anniversary of its 1983 Final Four team at halftime of Saturday’s game.

—Louisville has lost four games by 1-point this season. That’s the most in U of L history and tied for the most ever by an ACC team.

—Wake Forest is in the top six in the conference in multiple statistical categories - Third: Defensive Rebound Percentage (.752) Fourth: Scoring Offense (75.87 ppg); FT Percentage (.748); 3-PT FG Percentage (.363); Rebounding Defense (33.27); 3-PT FG Made (129 total, 8.60 pg) Fifth: Defensive Rebounds per game (26.33) Sixth: Rebounding Margin (+2.20); Steals (100 total, 6.67 pg).

—Wake Forest’s Tyree Appleby leads the ACC in league play with 7.27 assists per game. He is third in the ACC overall in scoring, averaging 18.3 points per game and leads the Demon Deacons in both categories. He is fourth in the ACC and 59th nationally with a free throw percentage of 86.8. He has gone 79-91 this season. As one of the most fouled players, Appleby’s 91 attempts ranks second the ACC and 27th nationally.

—At 2-13, Louisville is off to its worst start since the 1940-41 season.

—Louisville is 5-28 over its last 33 games dating back to last season.

—Louisville is 218-13 over the last 20 seasons and 15-1 over the last three when scoring 80 points or more. The Cards have eclipsed the 80-point mark just once this season.

—Louisville is 4-0 all-time in home games against Wake Forest.

—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 128-0 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 157 consecutive games when scoring at least 85 points in regulation.

Ken Pomeroy Prediction: Wake Forest 76, Louisville 67