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Louisville HC Chris Mack Previews Michigan State (11/30/21)

Preview: Louisville Cardinals vs. Michigan State Spartans

With their head coach back on the sideline, the Cardinals now embark on their first true road game of the season.

Louisville Cardinals (5-1, 0-0 ACC) at Michigan State Spartans (5-2, 0-0 Big Ten)

- Tipoff: Wednesday, December 1st at 7:15 p.m. EST
- Location: Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich.
- How To Watch: ESPN
- How To Listen: WHAS 840
- Betting Favorite: Michigan State -4.5
- All-Time Series: Louisville leads series 6-5
- Last Meeting: Louisville won 82-78 (OT) on Nov. 27, 2018 (KFC Yum! Center - Louisville, Ky.)

Projected Starting Lineups

Louisville

  • F Dre Davis (6-5, 210, So.)
  • F Jae’Lyn Withers (6-8, 225, R-So.)
  • C Malik Williams (6-11, 245, Sr.)
  • G Noah Locke (6-3, 210, Sr.)
  • G Jarrod West (5-11, 185, Gr.).

Michigan State

  • F Malik Hall (6-8, 225, Jr.)
  • F Marcus Bingham, Jr. (7-0, 230, Sr.)
  • F Gabe Brown (6-8, 215, Sr.)
  • G Tyson Walker (6-0, 175, Jr.)
  • G Max Christie (6-6, 190, Fr.)

Main Storylines

Here are the more significant storylines to follow ahead of Louisville's matchup with Michigan State: Points of Emphasis: Louisville vs. Michigan State

Comparison

See how the Cardinals stack up against the Spartans, and who the statistical models favor: Tale of The Tape & Prediction: Louisville vs. Michigan State

Louisville

  • In claiming its 31st regular season tournament championship, Louisville defeated Maryland 63-55 last Saturday as the Cardinals out-rebounded the Terrapins by a decisive 51-25 margin, limited Maryland to 38.5 percent shooting from the field, and pulled away from a tie game with under five minutes to go.
  • Malik Williams, a preseason All-ACC second team selection, was honored as the MVP of the 2021 Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship. He has grabbed at least nine rebounds in five of the first six games (13 points, 12 rebounds, four steals vs. Maryland in his last game) and ranks second in the ACC in rebounding (9.8 rpg) and 13th in the nation in defensive rebounding (7.8 per game).
  • UofL Head Coach Chris Mack is back as the Cardinals’ head coach against Michigan State after serving a university-imposed suspension for six games from Nov. 8 through Nov. 27.
  • Louisville has a 4-3 record in Big Ten/ACC Challenge games, winning two of its last three.
  • Jarrod West is third in the nation in career steals among active players with 264 career steals, including 10 in his first six games at Louisville. West had three or more steals in nine games last season and has two games with at least three thefts this year with the Cardinals.
  • Louisville is No. 16 nationally in adjusted defense in KenPom analytics (second in the ACC behind No. 15 Duke; Michigan State is No. 2). The Cardinals rank 12th in the NCAA in defensive rebounding (31.0 rpg) and 26th in field goal percentage defense (.374) through Nov. 28.
  • Noah Locke scored his 1,000th career point against Maryland in his last game after scoring 933 points in three seasons at Florida and 78 in the Cardinals’ first six games. He has scored in double figures in five of the first six games and leads UofL in scoring (13.0 ppg).
  • Louisville is averaging 28.7 points per game from its bench. Cardinal players have scored in double figures off the bench five times this year.
  • Five different players have led the Cardinals in scoring in Louisville’s six games ... Louisville has produced nine or more steals in four of its six games. The Cardinals are fourth in the ACC in steals (8.5 per game).
  • Louisville has held all six of its opponents under 43 percent from the field this season and four of the six under 40 percent. The Cardinals are third in the ACC and 26th nationally in field goal percentage defense (.374)
  • Noah Locke is fourth in the ACC in three-point field goal percentage (.349) and fourth in three-pointers made per game (2.5). Locke has made at least three threes in four games
  • Jarrod West is sixth in the ACC in assists-turnovers ratio (2.63) and 10th in assists (3.5). West needs five assists for 450 in his career (424 at Marshall, 21 at Louisville).
  • After being out-rebounded in two of its first four games, Louisville dominated the glass in its two games in the Bahamas. The Cardinals claimed a 47-38 rebounding advantage against Mississippi State before out-rebounding Maryland 51-25, improving to 4-0 this season when winning the rebounding battle. The plus-26 rebounding margin against Maryland is the largest for the Cardinals since finishing plus-28 against Evansville on Nov. 25, 2020. The margin is the largest for UofL away from home since posting a plus-30 against Northeastern in the Great Alaska Shootout on Nov. 28, 1986.
  • Samuell Williamson has scored in double figures off the bench in three games this season. He is second in scoring (8.7) and rebounding (6.2 rpg) for the Cardinals this year
  • Jarrod West scored nine points and dished out a season-high six assists against Maryland, with five of his points coming in the last five minutes of the game. In eight early games, including a pair of exhibitions, West has totaled 29 assists and 15 steals with just eight turnovers
  • Malik Williams grabbed his 500th career rebound against Mississippi State. He has grabbed at least nine rebounds in five of the first six games, including 12 in his last game vs. Maryland and matching his career high in rebounding with 13 against Southern on Nov. 9 in the season opener
  • Louisville’s 35.0 percent (21-of-60) field goal accuracy against Maryland marked their lowest shooting percentage in a victory since defeating Old Dominion while shooting 29.7 percent on Nov. 23, 2016
  • Jae’Lyn Withers grabbed a season-best 11 rebounds against Maryland in his last game, his fifth career game with double-digit rebounds
  • Freshman forward/center Roosevelt Wheeler delighted Louisville fans in his debut against Navy with three points and three rebounds in nine minutes for his first court time this year. He contributed four points and three rebounds in 12 minutes against Mississippi State

Michigan State

  • One of the mantras for Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo has always been to Defend, Rebound and Run. The Spartans have done just that so far this season, allowing 60 points or fewer four times this season, ranking second in the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense at 37.6 percent (No. 30 nationally) and ranking third in the Big Ten in both rebounding offense (41.7 rpg), third in rebounding margin (+8.3 rpg) and No. 2 in blocked shots per game (6.57 bpg, which is No. 10 nationally). In the KenPom Defensive Ratings, Michigan State ranks second nationally.
  • The Spartans have won five of their last six games, including a 64-60 win over then-No. 23 UConn in the Battle 4 Atlantis. MSU’s two losses have come to teams ranked in the top-10 of the Associated Press rankings.
  • Tyson Walker: 2021 Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year. Named to AllCAA First Team last year. Lou Henson Award Finalist (2021), awarded to top mid-major player in the country. Averaged 18.8 ppg, 4.8 ppg last season.
  • Max Christie: One of the top-rated players in the country. Ranked No. 17 in the 247sports composite, No. 12 in the ESPN Top-100 & No. 3-ranked shooting guard. Scored 18 points in win at Butler. Has reached double figures twice this season.
  • Gabe Brown: Co-captain. Named to the All-Tournament Team at the Battle 4 Atlantis, averaging 12.7 ppg and 5.0 rpg in three games. 16 points, 10 reobunds vs. UConn (2nd career double-double). Scored a season-high 19 points (6 rebounds) at Butler.
  • Malik Hall: Career-high 24 points vs. Loyola Chicago. Two games in double figures this year. Last four games, averaging 11.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting 57.1 percent (16-of-28).
  • Marcus Bingham, Jr.: Career-high 19 points, tied career-best with 12 rebounds in win vs. Eastern Michigan. First career double-double. Averaging career high’s in points, rebounds & minutes. 7 blocks vs. Loyola Chicago. No. 3 in B1G, No. 14 in NCAA in blocks per game.

(Photo of Kyle Ahrens, Malik Williams: Jamie Rhodes - USA TODAY Sports)

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