The Louisville Cardinals are gearing up for their 110th season of men’s basketball as they prepare to face off against UMBC in their season opener at the KFC Yum! Center. The game is set to tip-off at 7 p.m. ET on Monday and can be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
In their two exhibition games, the Cardinals had mixed results, with a dominant 91-50 victory over Simmons College but a narrow 71-68 defeat to Kentucky Wesleyan. Meanwhile, UMBC had a strong showing last season with an 18-14 record but fell to Fordham 79-75 in their lone exhibition game this year. This will be the first meeting between Louisville and the Retrievers, making UMBC the only new opponent on the Cardinals’ schedule for this season.
Louisville will enter the game with several storylines to watch. The team will be honoring legendary head coach Denny Crum, who passed away in May, with a moment of silence before the game and a halftime ceremony to unveil Crum’s seat as permanently changed to black and marked in the KFC Yum! Center. The players will also wear a red jacket patch on their uniforms throughout the season as a tribute to Crum’s legacy.
On the court, Louisville has a strong track record in season openers, winning 18 of their last 19 and 27 of their last 30. They have also been dominant in home openers, winning 21 of their last 22. This year’s opener marks the eighth time in the last nine years that the Cardinals will begin their season at home.
In their exhibition games, sophomore transfer Skyy Clark led the team in scoring with an average of 16 points per game. Redshirt sophomore Mike James also made a strong impact, averaging 14 points and 6.5 rebounds. Freshman Dennis Evans stood out as the team’s leading rebounder, averaging seven per game.
Free throw shooting was a highlight for Louisville in their exhibition games, as they made 54 of 67 attempts (80%). Their 54 made free throws were also 13 more than their opponents even attempted. The team’s scoring depth was evident, with six of their top eight scorers being newcomers to the program.
The Cardinals are bringing back just under half of their scoring from last season, but have added a strong group of eight newcomers to the roster. This recruiting class was ranked sixth-best in the country by 247Sports, providing Louisville with a solid foundation for the season ahead.
As the Cardinals prepare to take on UMBC, all eyes will be on their performance and how they honor the legacy of Denny Crum. Louisville fans can expect a memorable evening as they pay tribute to one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history.
