Cardinals Open Billy Minardi Classic with UMKC on Tuesday Night

GAME 11
Date: Dec. 22, 2015
Time: 9:06 p.m.
Site: KFC Yum! Center/Crum Court, Louisville, Ky. (22,000) (88-13 in 6th yr.)
Television: Regional Sports Networks (Fox Sports South in Louisville) Tom Werme, play-by-play; Dan Bonner, analyst.
Radio: WHAS (840 AM) Paul Rogers, play-by-play; Bob Valvano, analyst (Sirius channel 119, XM 194)
Series History: UofL leads 2-0 (2-0 in Louisville)
Last Meeting: UofL 90, UMKC 62 (Dec. 4, 2013 in KFC Yum! Center)
UofL National Ranking: 15th USA Today, 16th Associated Press
Officials: Mike Eades, Trey Styons, Tim Ebersole
Next UofL Game: Dec. 23 vs. Utah Valley, KFC Yum! Center, 7 p.m. ET (ESPNU)

Louisville plays the first of consecutive days in the KFC Yum! Center as the Cardinals face the University of Missouri Kansas City Kangaroos on Tuesday in their first of two games in the 14th Annual Billy Minardi Classic.

The Billy Minardi Classic, presented by Kentucky One Health, Sun Tan City and Planet Fitness, originated in 2002 to honor the memory of Billy Minardi, best friend and brother-in-law of UofL Coach Rick Pitino who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Louisville has won 12 championships in 13 years in the event, in which the Cardinals have a 16-1 record.

Louisville beat Western Kentucky 78-56 on Saturday as Chinanu Onuaku gained his first double-double of the season with 10 points, 12 rebounds and two blocked shots.

The Cardinals are led by three players averaging double figures, Damion Lee leads the trio of top scorers with 18.3 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 4.7 per game while averaging 10.4 points. Chinanu Onuaku leads the team in rebounding with 7.5 per game while averaging 9.8 points per game.

As a team, the Cardinals are shooting 51.8 percent from the field while holding opponents to 35.2 percent shooting. Louisville leads the nation in scoring margin, defeating opponents by an average of 30.4 points per game. The Cards are also averaging 44.2 rebounds and 15.1 assists per game.

Coached by former UofL assistant coach Kareem Richardson, UMKC (7-4) has won its last two games over Mississippi State (72-67 on Dec. 12) and Rockhurst (71- 60 on Dec. 19).

UMKC returns four starters from its team which finished 14-19 last season. Foremost among the returnees is Martez Harrison, the 2015 WAC Player of the Year who leads the 'Roos in scoring (16.0 ppg) and is the 10th player in school history with 1,000 career points. Harrison had 16 points and five assists in UMKC's victory over Rockhurst last Saturday. UMKC is No. 126 in the ratings percentage index and 181 in the Sagarin Ratings through games of Dec. 20.

Louisville has won its only two previous meetings against UMKC, both in the KFC Yum! Center in consecutive years. The Cardinals won 90-62 in the last meeting (12-4-13) as UofL's Montrezl Harrell scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds. UofL beat UMKC 99-47 in the first matchup (12/8/12) as Russ Smith totalled 31 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals to lead the Cardinals.

CARD FILE:

UMKC Coach Kareem Richardson is one of nine former Rick Pitino assistant coaches that are active Division I head coaches. The list also includes UNC Wilmington head coach Kevin Keatts, another Minardi Classic participant. Also, Utah Valley's Mark Pope is one of five former Pitino players who are active collegiate head coaches. Pitino has a collective 43-11 record against former assistants and players.
Louisville's 132 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.
UofL leads in the nation in scoring margin (+30.4) and is second in rebounding margin (+16.5) and scoring defense (55.6), and fourth in field goal percentage defense (.352).
Damion Lee has been the Cardinals' top scorer in eight of 10 games this season. He is among the ACC leaders in scoring (18.3, 4th), steals (1.7, 3rd) and free throw percentage (.872, 4th).
UofL has a 24-3 record during the month of December over the last four years, winning 12 of its last 14 in that month.
Louisville is sixth in the nation in field goal percentage (.518). UofL has shot above 50 percent in eight of its 10 games. The Cards shot 50 percent or above on eight occasions all last season. UofL is 12th nationally in scoring (86.0 ppg).

University of Louisville Athletics

Cardinals Open Billy Minardi Classic with UMKC on Tuesday Night

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Players Mentioned

Montrezl Harrell

Damion Lee

Trey Lewis

Chinanu Onuaku

Quentin Snider

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