Preview: Louisville Cardinals vs. Florida A&M Rattlers

Florida A&M Rattlers (2-6, 0-0 SWAC) at Louisville Cardinals (1-9, 0-2 ACC)

- Tipoff: Saturday, December 17 at 2:00 p.m. EST
- Location: KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.
- How To Watch: Regional Sports Network
- How To Listen: 93.9 FM
- Betting Favorite: Louisville -16.0
- All-Time Series: First Meeting
- Last Meeting: N/A

Projected 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.)

Florida A&M

G Byron Smith (6-2, 185, Jr.)
G Jordan Tillmon (6-2, 180, Jr.)
G Hantz Louis-Jeune (6-6, 180, Jr.)
F Jaylen Bates (6-7, 215, Jr.)
F Chase Barrs (6-9, 210, Sr.)

Comparison

See how the Cardinals stack up against the Rattlers, and who the statistical models favor: Tale of The Tape, Predictions: Louisville vs. Florida A&M

Game Notes

Louisville

Senior guard El Ellis set career highs Wednesday against Western Kentucky with 30 points and 10 assists. Ellis is the first Cardinal to hit those marks since current team video coordinator Reece Gaines did it against TCU on March 6, 2002. It's the 22nd time nationally since 2018 that a player has reached those numbers, and Ellis is the first player in Division I to do so this season. Ellis recorded the 19th 30-point double-double in UofL history, and it was the first Louisville double-double with points and assists since Darius Perry recorded 10 points and 12 assists against Youngstown State in 2019.
Junior forward J.J. Traynor has made more 3-pointers in 10 games this season (9 of 21, .429) than he did in his first two full seasons combined (7 of 16).
After recording three total assists in the first eight games of the season, junior forward Jae'Lyn Withers has tallied six total assists in the last two games.
Senior forward Sydney Curry scored 10 points on Wednesday against Western Kentucky after scoring 15 total points through Louisville's first nine games. Curry is 5-for-7 from the field in the Cardinals' last two games.
Redshirt freshman guard/forward Mike James is one of 11 freshmen in the country averaging at least seven points per game, while also shooting at least 45% from the field, 38% from 3-point range and 80% from the free-throw line.
The Cardinals have 31 total assists in their last two games, including a season-high 17 against Western Kentucky. Louisville had 36 total assists in its six previous outings. UofL's 94 points against WKU were its most in exactly three years.
As of Thursday, the combined record of all Louisville opponents from the start of the season through the end of 2022 was 93-54. The Cardinals' opponents over the last seven games have an average KenPom ranking of 66 and a combined record of 52-22. Nine of Louisville's 14 opponents before the end of 2022 currently have at least seven wins.
With Wednesday's win against Western Kentucky, Louisville improved to 128-0 since 2004 when leading by more than 10 points at halftime. UofL's last loss when leading by more than 10 at halftime was a 60-58 defeat against Kentucky on Dec. 18, 2004. It was also the Cardinals' 158th straight win when scoring at least 85 points in regulation. Louisville is also now 6-0 all-time when shooting at least 50% from the field, 50% from 3-point range and 90% from the free-throw line.
Per Ken Pomeroy, Louisville is 340th in the country in Division I experience with an average of 0.88 years.
Last game: Louisville took down Western Kentucky 94-83 to not only snap their nine-game losing streak to start the season, but secure their first win of the Kenny Payne era.
KEY FIRST HALF RUN: The Cardinals closed the first half on a 16-5 run over the final 4:33, capping the burst off with a 3-pointer from JJ Traynor that just beat the buzzer.

The Hilltoppers jumped out to an early lead with an 8-0 run starting at the 14:55 mark and elapsing 1:34. However, Louisville answered back with an 11-2 run that saw the Cardinals connect on five straight field goal attempts to take a 21-20 lead.

KEY SECOND HALF RUN: Louisville increased their lead with a quick 7-0 spurt to begin the second half, starting at 18:29 and lasting just 53 seconds.

The Cardinals stretched their lead to as much as 20, and the Hilltoppers were unable to get the deficit under double figures.
Louisville set a new season-high for points in a half with 48 over the final 20 minutes, eclipsing their previous best that was set in the first half.

UofL shot 31 of 57 (.554) from the field, 13 of 25 (.520) from 3-point range, and 19 of 20 (.950) from the free-throw line.

The Cardinals set new season highs in field goals made, field goal percentage, 3-point field goals made, 3-point percentage, free throws made, and free throw percentage.

Louisville’s 94 points were also a season high, along with their 17 assists. Their 13 turnovers tied a season low.

Their 94 points was the highest point total for the Cardinals since scoring 99 in a win over Eastern Kentucky exactly three years ago today, when Louisville was ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll.

Five Louisville players scored in double figures, the first time that has happened since a win over Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament on Mar. 8, 2022.

Florida A&M

Heading into Saturday's matchup with Louisville, Florida A&M ranks No. 358 out of the 363 teams in college basketball, according to KenPom. Only Lamar, Delaware State, Hartford, Mississippi Valley State and IUPUI are worse.
According to KenPom, the Rattlers sport the worst offense in Division I at 363rd, while their defense comes in at 306th.
Florida A&M's two wins on the seasons have both come against non-D1 teams. They defeated Albany State 70-65 in overtime, and Edward Waters 58-47. Their six other games on the year have all been losses, falling to Oregon, Portland, Oregon State, Miami, Florida and Georgia by an average margin of 29.5 points.
Last game: Florida A&M secured only their second win of the year when they took down Edward Waters 58-47.
After falling behind 8-7, Florida A&M went on a 9-0 run with 14:18 left in the first half to take a 16-8 lead. The Rattlers then surrendered that lead and entered halftime down 22-18.
The Tigers kept widening its lead after intermission, constructing a 28-20 advantage before Florida A&M went on a 10-0 run to seize a 30-28 lead with 14:54 to go in the contest. The Rattlers kept expanding the margin and coasted the rest of the way for the 58-47 win. Florida A&M capitalized on nine turnovers in the period, collecting 10 points off those turnovers.
Jaylen Bates notched a double-double for the Rattlers with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
The Rattlers held the Tigers to only 26.6 percent shooting from the field and 20 percent from three point land on 15 attempts.
Florida A&M had a 53-48 edge on the boards (including 20 offensive rebounds) in the win, forced 17 turnovers and recorded eight blocks as a team.

(Photo of J.J. Traynor: Matt Stone - The Louisville Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)

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