Louisville men’s basketball is set to make its return to ACC play as they face off against Virginia on Wednesday night. The game, which will be televised on ESPN2, is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The Cardinals are coming into this game after a 12-day break since their loss to in-state rival Kentucky on December 21. On the other hand, Virginia has played twice since the holiday, winning against Morgan State but falling to Notre Dame in their most recent outing.
Louisville has historically struggled against Virginia, boasting a record of 5-22 in their all-time meetings. In fact, they have only won one of their last 17 matchups against the Cavaliers since 2016. When playing in Charlottesville, the Cardinals have a dismal 1-10 record, with their sole road victory in the series occurring on February 17, 1990.
In terms of team statistics, Louisville has seen impressive performances from junior forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, who has been averaging 18.7 points and 11.3 rebounds over the last three games. He has been shooting efficiently, with a field goal percentage of 69% and a free-throw shooting percentage of 80% during that span. This makes him the first Cardinal to achieve three consecutive double-doubles since Dwayne Sutton did it in January 2019.
Kenny Payne, an assistant coach for Louisville, and Tony Bennett, the head coach for Virginia, both have NBA Draft experience. Payne was selected by the 76ers as the 19th pick in 1989, while Bennett was picked by the Hornets in the second round of the 1992 draft.
Louisville’s defense has shown improvement in recent games, as they have limited their opponents to a combined 26.5% shooting from behind the arc in their last 10 games. However, they will need to maintain their defensive focus against a tough Virginia team.
The Cardinals have been successful in drawing fouls and getting to the free-throw line, ranking 14th in the country in free-throw attempts per game and 11th in made free throws per game. They have made 228 free throws in their first 12 games, the second-highest mark for the program since 2010.
Sophomore guard Skyy Clark has seen improvement in his scoring, averaging 17.3 points per game over the last nine games. He has also become more consistent from long range, shooting 32.7% from three-point territory during that stretch.
Freshman guard Ty-Laur Johnson has stepped up as a playmaker for Louisville, totaling 37 assists and only 20 turnovers in the last nine games. This includes several games with five or more assists, joining the ranks of former Louisville freshmen David Johnson and Terry Rozier.
In their most recent meeting, the Cardinals suffered a 75-60 road loss to Virginia. Louisville struggled defensively, allowing the Cavaliers to shoot 58% from the field, including an impressive 67% in the second half. Despite a strong performance from redshirt freshman guard/forward Mike James, who scored 24 points, the Cardinals were unable to overcome the Cavaliers’ offensive onslaught.
Louisville will look to bounce back from their recent loss and improve their record against Virginia as they face off on Wednesday night. The team will rely on the scoring prowess of players like Brandon Huntley-Hatfield and Skyy Clark, while also maintaining a strong defensive presence against a formidable Virginia team. The Cardinals will aim to start the new year with a win in ACC play.
