Preview: Louisville Cardinals vs. Virginia Cavaliers

The Cardinals are squaring off with the Cavaliers for a third time this season, this time in the ACC Tournament.

Louisville Cardinals (13-18, 6-14 ACC) vs. Virginia Cavaliers (18-12, 12-8 ACC)

- Tipoff: Wednesday, March 9th at 9:30 p.m. EST
- Location: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
- How To Watch: ESPN2
- How To Listen: WHAS 840 AM
- Betting Favorite: Virginia -6.0
- All-Time Series: Virginia leads 19-5
- Last Meeting: Virginia won 71-61 on Mar. 5, 2022 (KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.)

Projected Starting Lineups

Louisville

• F Malik Williams (6-11, 245, Sr.)
• C Sydney Curry (6-8, 260, Jr.)
• G Noah Locke (6-3, 210, Sr.)
• G Mason Faulkner (6-1, 185, Gr.)
• G Jarrod West (5-11, 185, Gr.)

Virginia

• F Jayden Gardner (6-6, 246, Sr.)
• F Francisco Caffaro (7-1, 242, R-Jr.)
• G Kihei Clark (5-10, 172, Sr.)
• G Reece Beekman (6-3, 181, So.)
• G Armaan Franklin (6-4, 204, Jr.)

Comparison

	Virginia	Louisville
NET Ranking	77th	137th
KenPom Ranking	72nd	142nd
Sagarin Ranking	58th	106th
Torvik Ranking	59th	138th
Points Per Game	63.6	67.9
Field Goal %	45.3%	42.4%
Three Point %	32.7%	31.2%
Free Throw %	74.7%	67.6%
Rebounds Per Game	31.4	36.5
Rebound Margin	+0.6	+1.1
Opp. Points Per Game	60.4	70.7
Opp, FG%	42.8%	43.8%
Opp. 3PT%	34.6%	35.2%
Assists Per Game	14.1	12.1
Turnovers Per Game	9.8	12.2

Game Notes

Louisville

• In the first round of the ACC Tournament on Tuesday, Louisville prevailed 84-74 over Georgia Tech as Jarrod West scored a season-high 20 points with four steals and three assists. The Cardinals led 45-28 at halftime, led by 27 in the second half, and weathered a 19-0 Georgia Tech run before closing it out.
• Jarrod West made a season-high 4-of-6 three vs. Georgia Tech among his 20 points, four steals and three assists. He is fifth in the ACC in assist-turnover ratio (2.43) and is third in the nation in career steals among active players with 296. He needs three points for 1,400 in his career.
• Malik Williams produced his seventh double-double of the season and 12th of his career with 14 points and 10 rebounds against Georgia Tech. He has scored in double figures in eight of his last 11 games. Williams is fifth in the ACC in rebounding (7.8 rpg) and 51st in the nation in defensive rebounding (6.0 per game).
• Noah Locke scored 16 points against Georgia Tech, adding season highs of seven rebounds and four assists. He has 18 double figure scoring efforts this year, including five of the last nine games. He made 38 percent of his three-pointers in ACC games (41-of-108). Locke has made multiple three-pointers in 20 games and at least three in 13 games this season (4 vs. Georgia Tech).
• Sydney Curry has averaged 20.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in his last four games while shooting 67.3 percent from the field (35-of52). He had back-to-back double-doubles in two of those four games and totaled 12 points and six rebounds against Georgia Tech.
• El Ellis has scored in double figures in seven of the last 11 games, including 10 points and a season-high six assists against Georgia Tech. He is averaging 10.3 points per game over the last 18 games -- top for the Cardinals in that stretch, while hitting 29-of-78 threes (.372), including 11.6 ppg in the last 11 games.
• Louisville’s 84 points against Georgia Tech marked its most since scoring 86 on Dec. 14.
• Five players scored in double figures against Georgia Tech, the first time for the Cardinals since Dec. 4 against NC State
• Just seven UofL players saw action against Georgia Tech, the fewest for the Cardinals in any game this season
• Louisville handed out 18 assists against Georgia Tech, its second-highest total of the season
• Louisville used its 15th different starting lineup against Virginia on March 5 to allow all of its seniors to start, and maintained the same lineup against Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament first round. Louisville’s 15 different starting lineup combinations is the seventh-most in the nation
• Louisville does not have a double-figure scorer on its team, but has 10 players averaging between 4.7 and 9.7 points per game. The last time UofL finished the season without a double figure scorer was 1943-44
• Louisville has averaged 27.4 points per game from its bench this season. The Cardinals have had 34 double-figure scoring efforts off the bench. Louisville’s bench has contributed 30 or more bench points on 14 occasions this season. Louisville picked up 59 points off the bench at Wake Forest, its most since scoring 63 against Southern on Nov. 13, 2018. The Cards are ninth in the nation in bench minutes (42.7 percent)
• This is the first time a Louisville team has dropped at least 18 of its first 31 games since the Cardinals posted a 12-19 in 2000-01. The Cardinals’ seven-game losing streak broken with a win over Clemson on Feb. 19 was the longest for UofL since 1940-41
• Opponents have shot over 10 percentage points higher against the Cardinals in their 18 losses (.473) than in their 13 victories (.383)
• Louisville’s leading scorer has come from the bench 12 times this season, including six of the last 12 games (latest: Sydney Curry with 28 points off the bench at Wake Forest on Feb. 26)
• Louisville made 11 three-pointers against Georgia Tech in its last game, its most in 10 games and UofL’s 13th game this season with at least eight made threes. However, the Cardinals have made a collective 50-of-188 threes in its last seven games (.266). The Cardinals made a season-high 15 three-pointers against North Carolina on Feb. 1, its most in eight years and a span of 257 games (season low two three-pointers vs. Miami). UofL made a high of eight threes in a game on just three occasions last year
• Jarrod West had made 12 three-pointers on the season in his first 18 games before making 21-of-43 threes over the last 13 contests (.488). West has made 253-of-680 threes over his collegiate career (.372). His 20 points against Georgia Tech matched his scoring total from his previous four games combined and his four three-pointers in the game equalled a season high for him. West handed out his 500th career assist vs. Clemson. He is third in the nation in career steals among active players with 296. West’s 20 point scoring effort on Tuesday was the most points for him since scoring 29 against Middle Tennessee on Feb. 13, 2021 while playing for Marshall.
• Jae’Lyn Withers suffered a bone bruise in his right knee at Virginia Tech and missed UofL’s last two games. He is listed as day-to-day
• After averaging just 9.6 turnovers in a stretch of 10 games, Louisville has averaged 13.2 turnovers over its last five games. The Cardinals have committed single-digit turnovers in six of its last 13 games, and seven of the last 15 games, including nine against Georgia Tech in its last game (one in the first half).

Virginia

• The Cavaliers play defense, take good shots, share and take care of the basketball, rebound, and play more defense.
• UVA is led by its backcourt of Kihei Clark (10.2 ppg & 4.3 apg) and Reece Beekman (8.1 ppg, 4.9 apg, 3.7 rpg & 2.1 spg), and the additions of transfers Jayden Gardner (15.2 ppg & 6.9 rpg) and Armaan Franklin (11.5 ppg).
• The Cavaliers added transfers Gardner (East Carolina) and Franklin (Indiana) to fill the void left by standouts Sam Hauser (16 ppg), Jay Huff (13 ppg) and Trey Murphy III (11.3 ppg).
• Gardner averaged 18.5 points and 8.9 rebounds in 79 career games at East Carolina, while Franklin averaged 11.4 points and shot 42.5 percent from 3-point range in 2020-21.
• Francisco Caffaro (4.5 ppg & 4.5 rpg) and Kadin Shedrick (7.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg & 2.0 bpg) anchor the paint. Shedrick started the first 16 games, while Caffaro has started the last 14 contests.
• Kody Stattmann (37.3% 3FGs), Malachi Poindexter, Taine Murray, Igor Miliĉić Jr. and Carson McCorkle provide perimeter depth off the bench.
• UVA ranks eighth nationally in turnovers per game (9.8), 10th in scoring defense (60.4 ppg), 21st in personal fouls per game (14.0) and 22nd in assist/turnover ratio (1.44).
• Reece Beekman ranks second nationally in assist/turnover ratio (3.65) and 30th in steals (2.1 spg).
• Kadin Shedrick ranks 45th in blocks shots per game (2.0).
• Reece Beekman ranks first in the ACC in steals (2.1 spg) and assist/turnover ratio (3.65), second in assists (4.9 apg) and eighth in minutes (34.6 mpg).
• Jayden Gardner ranks fifth in field goal percentage (50.3%), sixth in free throw percentage (81.3%), 11th in rebounding (6.9 rpg) and 13th in scoring (15.2 ppg).
• Kihei Clark ranks third in minutes (35.5), fifth in assists (4.3 apg) and seventh in assist/turnover ratio (1.95).
• Kadin Shedrick ranks fourth in blocked shots (2.0 bpg).
• Jayden Gardner was named to the All-ACC third team, while Reece Beekman was named to the ACC All-Defensive team. In addition, Beekman and Kihei Clark earned All-ACC honorable mention honors.
• Amongst ACC Leaderboards:
• Reece Beekman ranks first in the ACC in steals (2.1 spg) and assist/turnover ratio (3.65), second in assists (4.9 apg) and eighth in minutes (34.6 mpg).
• Jayden Gardner ranks fifth in field goal percentage (50.3%), sixth in free throw percentage (81.3%), 11th in rebounding (6.9 rpg) and 13th in scoring (15.2 ppg).
• Kihei Clark ranks third in minutes (35.5), fifth in assists (4.3 apg) and seventh in assist/turnover ratio (1.95).
• Kadin Shedrick ranks fourth in blocked shots (2.0 bpg)

(Photo of Louisville Cheerleaders via ACC Pool)

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