Pitino Previews Thursday's BIG EAST Showdown Against Villanova
January 04, 2006 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 4, 2006
Audio Clip
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Louisville men's basketball head coach Rick Pitino, junior guard Brandon Jenkins and freshman forward Terrence Williams met with members of the media on Wednesday to preview the Cardinals' BIG EAST Conference opener against No. 3 Villanova on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET at Freedom Hall.
The game will be Louisville's first ever BIG EAST Conference game and it will come against an unbeaten foe in Villanova. U of L (11-1) used a late 17-0 run to beat Miami 58-43 last Saturday in the MetroPCS Orange Bowl Classic at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla. Juan Palacios was the game's MVP with 19 points, sinking a career-best four three-point goals. Villanova is a perfect 9-0 after a 75-53 victory over Temple on Dec. 31.
GAME FACTS - Louisville (11-1, 0-0) vs Villanova (9-0, 0-0)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 5
Time: 7:02 p.m. EST
Site: Freedom Hall (18,865) Louisville, Ky. (613-126 all-time in FH)
Television: ESPN2
Dan Shulman, play-by-play; Dick Vitale, analyst; Doris Burke, reporter.
Radio: WHAS (840 AM) Paul Rogers, play-by-play; Bob Valvano, analyst.
Also: SIRIUS Satellite Radio, Ch. 110.
UL National Ranking: 8th ESPN/USA Today, 9th Associated Press
Series History: Louisville leads 5-3 (1-0 in Louisville, 1-2 at Villanova, 3-1 neutral)
Last Meeting: U of L 68, Villanova 64 (March 17, 1996 at Milwaukee, Wisc., NCAA Midwest Region Second Round)
Officials: John Cahill, Karl Hess, Tom Lopes
Next U of L Game: Jan. 7 at Providence (Providence, R.I.), 7:30 p.m. ET (WBKI)
