Preview: Louisville Cardinals vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Louisville Cardinals (12-15, 6-11 ACC) at Wake Forest Demon Deacons (21-8, 11-7 ACC)

- Tipoff: Saturday, February 26th at 7:00 p.m. EST
- Location: Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C.
- How To Watch: ACC Network
- How To Listen: WKRD 790 AM
- Betting Favorite: Wake Forest -11.0 (KenPom)
- All-Time Series: Louisville leads 9-2
- Last Meeting: Louisville won 73-69 on Dec. 29, 2021 (KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.)

Projected Starting Lineups

Louisville

F Dre Davis (6-6, 210, So.)
F Jae'Lyn Withers (6-8, 225, R-So.)
C Malik Williams (6-11, 245, Sr.)
G El Ellis (6-3, 180, Jr.)
G Jarrod West (5-11, 185, Gr.)

Wake Forest

F Jake LaRavia (6-8, 235, Jr.)
F Damari Monsanto (6-6, 225, R-So.)
C Dallas Walton (7-0, 230, Gr.)
G Daivien Williamson (6-1, 180, Sr.)
G Alondes Williams (6-5, 210, Gr.)

Comparison

See how the Cardinals stack up against the Demon Deacons, and who the statistical models favor: Tale of The Tape & Prediction: Louisville vs. Wake Forest

Game Notes

Louisville

Louisville fell 70-63 at North Carolina on Monday as six Cardinals scored seven or more points, led by 10 each from their starting front line of Malik Williams, Dre Davis and Jae’Lyn Withers. UofL trailed by one with 2:57 to go at 64-63 before the Tar Heels scored the final six points of the game.
In his first start since Jan. 29, Malik Williams had his best outing in five games vs. Clemson with 12 points, five rebounds and two steals. He followed with 10 points, six rebounds and two steals at North Carolina. He has scored in double figures in six of his last eight games. Williams is fifth in the ACC in rebounding (8.0 rpg) and 35th in the nation in defensive rebounding (6.3 per game). He has made 36.2 percent of his three-pointers in ACC games (17-of-47).
Noah Locke needs five points for 1,200 in his career. He has 16 double figure scoring efforts this year, including three of the last five games.
Jae’Lyn Withers has averaged 9.4 points and 5.4 rebounds over the last 10 games while shooting 46.3 percent from the field (38-82), scoring nine or more points in seven of those 10 (five of the last six; averaging 11.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg in the last six). He tied his career scoring high of 20 points at Notre Dame. He averaged 4.2 points in the first 17 games of the season.
El Ellis has scored in double figures in the six of the last seven games, including a career-high 25 in the Feb. 1 meeting against North Carolina. He is averaging 11.4 points per game over the last 14 games -- top for the Cardinals in that stretch, while hitting 24-of-65 threes (.370), including 14.4 ppg in the last seven.
Louisville has averaged just 9.9 turnovers over its last 11 games. The Cardinals have committed single-digit turnovers in five of its last nine games, and six of the last 11, including eight turnovers vs. Clemson two games ago.
Louisville’s 34 ACC road wins in its eighth year in the league is the fourth-most in the ACC in that period.

Wake Forest

Wake Forest has the opportunity to tie a single season record for ACC wins, as the Deacs currently have 11 conference victories and the program record is 13 (2004-05, 2002-03).
Wake Forest (21-8) and Iowa State (19-9) are on pace to set an NCAA Division I record for the most-improved team from one season to the next. The current record is 17 ½ games by Towson (2012, 1-31; 2013; 18- 13). The Deacs have won 15 more games from last season (6-16), while the Cyclones have won 17 more contests than a season ago (2-22).
Wake Forest, who is currently fifth in the ACC standings, is working to earn its first top 5 seed in the ACC Tournament since 2010. Additionally, the last time the Deacs finished higher than fifth at the end of the regular season was 2009 when Wake Forest ended the campaign in second place.
Wake Forest is fourth in the country in effective 2-point field goal percentage (57.9) and 14th in effective field goal percentage (55.50), according to KenPom.
Jake LaRavia (9 points), Isaiah Mucius (83 points) and Alondes Williams (83 points) are all within reach of joining the 1,000-point club this season. If they do so, Wake Forest would be the first team this season to have four players reach the milestone. Daivien Williamson reached 1,000 points in November.
Wake Forest is in the top 5 in the ACC in multiple statistical categories, both offensively and defensively:

2nd in field goal percentage (.482); 2nd in field goal % defense (.411); 2nd in scoring margin (+8.76); 2nd in assists (15.00/game); 2nd in scoring offense (78.14/game); 4th in rebounding offense (36.936); 3rd in 3-pt field goal % defense (.321); 4th in 3-pt field goals made per game (247 total, 8.52/game); 4th in rebounding margin (+3.10)

Alondes Williams leads the ACC in scoring (19.66 ppg, 27th in the country) and assists (5.07 apg, 35th in the country). As of February 24, he is the only player in the Power 5 to be averaging 19 points, six rebounds and five assists. He has scored in double figures in 28 games this season, reaching 30 three times and 20-plus 14 times.

(Photo of Carter Whitt, Mason Faulkner: Jamie Rhodes - USA TODAY Sports)

You can follow Louisville Report for future coverage by liking us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram:

Facebook - @LouisvilleOnSI
Twitter - @LouisvilleOnSI
Instagram - @louisville_report

You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter