Pitino, Smith Preview Sunday's Game against Kentucky
January 03, 2009 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 3, 2009
Audio Clips
- All audio files require the latest version of the FREE Real Player.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Louisville men's basketball head coach Rick Pitino and junior guard Jerry Smith met with members of the media on Saturday at the Yum! Center to preview Sunday's game against intrastate rival Kentucky. The Cards and Wildcats will tip off their 40th meeting at 4:30 p.m. ET at Freedom Hall in front of a nationally televised audience on CBS.
Louisville will play its first game of the new year with its third straight at home against the Wildcats in their final non-conference outing of the season. Louisville fell for the second time in three games, losing 56-55 to UNLV in Freedom Hall on New Year's Eve. The Cards made just 29.6 percent of its shots in the game, and have hit a collective 31.3 percent from the field in its three losses.
Kentucky (11-3) has won six straight and 11 of its last 12 games, beating Central Michigan 84-52 in its last outing on Dec. 29. The Wildcats are led by 6-4 guard Jodie Meeks, who leads the Southeastern Conference and is sixth nationally in scoring averaging 24.1 points per game, and 6-9 forward Patrick Patterson, who has eight double-doubles this season and averages 19.3 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
GAME FACTS - Louisville (8-3) vs. Kentucky (11-3)
Date: Sunday, Jan. 4
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
Site: Crum Court / Freedom Hall (18,865), Louisville, Ky. (UofL 660-136 all-time in Freedom Hall)
TV: CBS will televise the game with Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Clark Kellogg (analyst)
Radio: WKRD (790 AM) with Paul Rogers (play-by-play) and Bob Valvano (analyst)
SIRIUS: SIRIUS Satellite Radio Ch. 126
Series History: UofL trails 13-26 all-time (5-11 in Louisville, 6-13 in Lexington, 2-2 neutral)
Last Meeting: U of L 89, UK 75 (Jan. 5, 2008 in Lexington, Ky.)
National Rankings: U of L is ranked 18th in both this week's Associated Press Poll and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll; Kentucky is unranked.
Next U of L Game: Jan. 7 at USF, 7:00 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
