Cardinals Return to Action Against Kennesaw State on Wednesday Night

Wednesday, December 16

LOUISVILLE, KY

7:00 PM ET

University of Louisville

KENNESAW STATE

Buy Tickets

LOUISVILLE BASKETBALL V EASTERN MICHIGAN | Rick Pitino

Cardinals Return to Action Against Kennesaw State on Wednesday Night

December 15, 2015 | Men's Basketball

Louisville plays its third of six straight home games against Kennesaw State

By: Kim Pemberton

GAME 9
Date: Dec. 16, 2015
Time: 7:01 p.m.
Site: KFC Yum! Center/Crum Court, Louisville, Ky. (22,000) (87-13 in 6th yr.)
Television: ESPNU Adam Amin, play-by-play; Brooke Weisbrod, analyst.
Radio: WHAS (840 AM) Paul Rogers, play-by-play; Bob Valvano, analyst (Sirius channel 119, XM 194)
Series History: First Meeting
UofL National Ranking: 16th USA Today, 19th Associated Press
Officials: Terry Wymer, Tony Chiazza, Earl Walton
Next UofL Game: Dec. 19 vs. Western Kentucky, KFC Yum! Center, Noon ET (ESPNU)

Louisville plays its third of six straight home games in the KFC Yum! Center as the Cardinals face the Kennesaw State Owls on Dec. 16.

After a week off primarily for final exams, Louisville beat Eastern Michigan 86-53 on Dec. 12 as the Cardinals collected 11 steals and handed out 20 assists with its 31 field goals. Five Cardinals scored in double figures and UofL players contributed 34 points off the bench.

The Cardinals are led by two players averaging double figures, Damion Lee leads the duo of top scorers with 18.8 points per game. Trey Lewis ranks second on the team in scoring with 13.8 per game. Quentin Snider also leads the team in assists with 4.4 per game while averaging 9.9 points. Chinanu Onuaku leads the team in rebounding with 7.0 per game while Mangok Mathiang ranks second in rebounding with 5.9 per game.

As a team, the Cardinals are shooting 51.6 percent from the field while holding opponents to 33.9 percent shooting. Louisville leads the nation in scoring margin, defeating opponents by an average of 30.6 points per game. The Cards are also averaging 44.4 rebounds and 15.0 assists per game.

Kennesaw State (3-8) has had a nine-day break prior to facing the Cardinals. The Owls beat Thomas University 69-59 on Dec. 7 in its last game as junior guard Kendrick Ray produced his third double-double in four games with 21 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. In his previous game, Ray totaled 23 points and six rebounds at No. 15 West Virginia on Dec. 5.

The Owls are coached by Al Skinner, a teammate of UofL Coach Rick Pitino's at Massachusetts from 1970-74. In his first season at Kennesaw State, Skinner is a former Atlantic 10, Big East and national coach of the year.

Preseason All-Atlantic Sun selection Yonel Brown, a 5-9 senior guard, is among two returning starters from the Owls' team which posted a 10-22 record a year ago. Brown leads the nation in minutes played (38:54 average). Ray, a 6-1 guard, is a transfer from Quinnipiac University and leads the Owls in scoring at 16.1 points per game, just ahead of Brown's 16.0 average. They are the lone two players averaging in double figures.

CARD FILE:

Louisville's 130 victories over the last five years are the second-most wins in the nation in that stretch. Louisville and Wichita State are the only schools in the nation to win 30 games in three of the last four seasons, including a school-record 35 victories amassed by Louisville's 2012- 13 NCAA Championship team.
UofL leads in the nation in scoring margin (+30.6), is second in rebounding margin (+16.9), scoring defense (55.4) and field goal percentage defense (.339).
Damion Lee has been the Cardinals' top scorer in seven of eight games this season. He is among the ACC leaders in steals (1.76, 3rd), scoring (18.8, 4th) and field goal percentage (.537, 9th). He needs 12 points for 1,700 career points.
UofL has a 22-3 record during the month of December over the last four years, winning 10 of its last 12 in that month.
Louisville is sixth nationally in field goal percentage (.516). UofL has shot above 50 percent in seven of its eight games. The Cards shot 50 percent or above on eight occasions all last season. UofL leads the ACC in scoring (87.5 ppg).
Rick Pitino coached his 500th game at Louisville when the Cards played at Michigan St. on Dec. 2 (375-127 record).
New toys will be collected and subsequently donated to Kosair Children's Hospital at the Cardinals' Dec. 19 men's basketball game against Western Kentucky. Toys for all ages and genders will be collected at the entrances.