Pitino, Samuels Preview Thursday's Game against Notre Dame
February 11, 2009 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 11, 2009
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Louisville men's basketball head coach Rick Pitino and freshman forward Samardo Samuels met with members of the media on Wednesday at the Yum! Center to preview Thursday's game against Notre Dame. The No. 5 ranked Cardinals and Fighting Irish will tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET at the Joyce Center in South Bend, Ind. in front of a nationally televised audience on ESPN.
Louisville will play its second straight on the road. U of L won for the 10th time in its last 11 games as the Cardinals beat St. John's 60-47 in Madison Square Garden in New York last Sunday. Jerry Smith led the Cards with a season-high 21 points against the Red Storm, including 19 in the second half. Terrence Williams and Earl Clark lead the team with 13.0 points per game apiece. Williams is the team leader in rebounds (9.0 rpg), assists (4.6 apg) and steals (2.2 spg).
Notre Dame (12-10, 3-7 BIG EAST) spent 12 weeks in the national rankings and rose to as high as No. 7, but is currently unranked. The Irish have dropped its last seven straight, including falling 89-63 at UCLA on Feb. 7 as Tory Jackson led Notre Dame with 17 points and eight rebounds. The 2008 BIG EAST Player of the Year, Luke Harangody is one of four Notre Dame players scoring in double figures, averaging 24.3 points and 12.6 rebounds. Three Irish have made 30 or more three-point goals, led by Kyle McAlarney's 84-of-188 three-point accuracy (.447).
U of L prevailed 87-73 in overtime over the Fighting Irish in Freedom Hall last month (Jan. 12).
GAME FACTS - Louisville (18-4, 9-1 BIG EAST) vs. Notre Dame (12-10, 3-7 BIG EAST)
Date: Thursday, Feb. 12
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Site: Joyce Center (11,418), South Bend, Ind.
TV: ESPN will televise the game with Brent Musburger (play-by-play), Bob Knight (analyst), Digger Phelps (analyst), and Holly Rowe (reporter)
Radio: WHAS (840 AM) with Paul Rogers (play-by-play) and Bob Valvano (analyst)
SIRIUS: SIRIUS Satellite Radio Ch. 126
Series History: U of L leads 15-8 all-time (10-1 in Louisville, 4-4 in South Bend, 1-3 neutral)
Last Meeting: U of L 87, Notre Dame 73 OT (Jan. 12, 2009 in Freedom Hall)
National Rankings: U of L is ranked 5th in the Associated Press Poll and 7th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll this week; Notre Dame is unranked.
Next U of L Game: Feb. 15 vs. DePaul, 4:00 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
