Men's Basketball Welcomes BIG EAST Foe USF on Saturday
January 11, 2013 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 11, 2013
| No. 3/4 Louisville vs. USF | |||
| Date: Saturday, Jan. 12 | |||
| Time: 4:04 p.m. ET | |||
| Location: KFC Yum! Center / Crum Court, Louisville, Ky. | |||
| Game Notes: Louisville | USF | |||
| TV: BIG EAST Network (ESPN3) / Jim Barbar (pbp), Darrin Horn (analyst) | |||
| Radio: WKRD 790 AM | Listen Here | SIRIUS 85, XM 85 | |||
| Audio: | Rick Pitino Gorgui Dieng | Video: | Rick Pitino Gorgui Dieng |
| Podcast: | Click Here | ||
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville men's basketball program will play its 50th game in the KFC Yum! Center, when it welcomes BIG EAST foe USF on Saturday, Jan. 12.
Tip is set for 4:04 p.m., and the game will be televised on the BIG EAST Network (WHAS-TV), with Jim Barbar (play-by-play) and Darrin Horn (analyst) on the call. The radio broadcast will be available on WKRD 790 AM, and Paul Rogers (play-by-play) and Doug Ormay (analyst) will carry the action.
The Cardinals, ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press and fourth in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, have maintained their top-five national rankings in turnover margin (No. 2 at +8.1) and steals per game (No. 3 at 11.5 per game). Louisville climbed in the statistical rankings to No. 6 in scoring margin (+20.5), while also boasting the 22nd-best scoring defense in the country, holding opponents to less than 58 points per game. In the Cardinals' 15 games this season, only six opponents have reached the 60-point plateau.
After an undefeated December and consecutive wins in January, Louisville owns a 14-1 overall mark, with a 2-0 BIG EAST record following a 73-58 win at Seton Hall on Wednesday.
Making his first start since injuring his wrist, Gorgui Dieng led the Cardinals with 16 points and 14 rebounds - both season highs - to go along with a game-best three blocks in the victory over the Pirates. Montrezl Harrell and Russ Smith also reached double-digit point totals, scoring 14 and 11, respectively. Peyton Siva had seven assists in the win, and he now stands No. 3 on the career charts. Defensively, the Cardinals forced 16 turnovers and held Seton Hall to just 34.7 percent from the field, including a 28.6 percent clip in the second half.
USF, which stands at 9-5 overall, is looking for its first conference win of the season after dropping decisions to Syracuse (55-44) and, most recently, Villanova (61-53). In their two combined league games, the Bulls are shooting just 37.8 percent from the field and are being outrebounded, 85-58, including a 38-14 deficit on the offensive end.
Against the Wildcats, Victor Rudd led USF in scoring with 12 points. Anthony Collins chipped in with 11, and Toarlyn Fitzpatrick had 10. Collectively, the team shot 36 percent and went 6-of-20 from beyond the arc. Villanova held a 30-14 advantage in points in the paint and won the rebounding battle, 42-32. Mouphtaou Yarou had game highs of 16 points and 13 rebounds in the win.
The Bulls are under the direction of sixth-year head coach Stan Heath, who has led the program to an 82-96 overall mark. Rudd currently leads the team in points (11.6) and rebounds per game (7.9). Collins is averaging a team-best 7.5 assists, which ranks seventh-best nationally.
The PEYTON Watch: Peyton Siva is 13 points shy of becoming the 64th Louisville men's basketball player to reach 1,000 points. The Cardinals rank second all-time in 1,000 point scorers behind North Carolina's 67.
GAME FACTS - Louisville vs. USF
Date: Saturday, Jan. 12
Time: 4:04 p.m. ET
Site: KFC Yum! Center / Crum Court, Louisville, Ky. (22,000)
TV: The BIG EAST Network will broadcast the game, with Jim Barbar (play-by-play) and Darrin Horn (analyst) calling the action.
Radio: The game is available on WKRD 790 AM, with Paul Rogers (play-by-play) and Doug Ormay (analyst) calling the game.
SIRUS: The game will be available on SIRUS channel 85 and XM channel 85.
Series History: Louisville leads the all-time series, 25-4 (13-2 in Louisville, 10-2 in Tampa, 2-0 neutral).
Officials: Mike Roberts, Wally Rutecki, Rob Riley
Next U of L Game: Monday, Jan. 14 at Connecticut, XL Center, Hartford, Conn., 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
