Men's Basketball Hosts Saint Francis on Friday Night

Friday, November 24

LOUISVILLE, KY

7 p.m.

University of Louisville

SAINT FRANCIS

LOUISVILLE MEN'S BASKETBALL V SIU | HUDDLE

November 23, 2017 | Men's Basketball

Live Stats Louisville Game Notes Saint Francis Game Notes ACC Network Extra Watch Link

Cardinals wrap up a four game home stand against the Red Flash

By: Kim Pemberton

GAME 4
Site: KFC Yum! Center/Crum Court, Louisville, Ky. (22,000) (118-15 in 8th year)
Television: ACC Network Extra (available to authenticated subscribers of ESPN on the
Watch ESPN app) Kent Taylor, play-by-play; Jody Demling, analyst.
Radio: WHAS (840 AM) Paul Rogers, play-by-play; Bob Valvano, analyst (Sirius channel 93, XM 93, Internet 93)
Series History: UofL leads 2-0 (1-0 in Louisville, 1-0 neutral)
Last Meeting: UofL 76, St. Francis 63 (Dec. 8, 1984 at Bowling Green, Ky., Wendy's Classic)
UofL National Ranking: 18th USA Today, 19th Associated Press
Officials: Lee Cassell, Tim Clougherty, Jemel Spearman
Next UofL Game: Nov. 28 at Purdue, West Lafayette, Ind., 8 p.m. ET (ESPN) Big Ten/ACC Challenge

Louisville will play its fourth straight home game when it faces the St. Francis University (Pa.) Red Flash on Black Friday. Louisville dominated Southern Illinois on Tuesday as the Cardinals limited the Salukis to 26.6 percent shooting from the field, blocked nine shots and gathered eight steals in a strong defensive effort. Freshman Jordan Nwora came off the bench to lead UofL with 18 points and eight rebounds.

Deng Adel leads the Cardinals in scoring with 19.0 points per game. Freshman Darius Perry ranks second on the team with 12.0 points per game while freshman Jordan Nwora is averaging 10.0 points per game. Spalding leads the team on the boards with 8.0 rebounds per game. Perry leads the team with 11 assists.

Saint Francis (2-2) buried Franciscan 96-54 on Nov. 21 in its first home game as the Red Flash shot 50.7 percent from the field and collected 14 steals. Jamaal King scored 18 points and Deivydas Kuzavas added a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

The Red Flash were the preseason choice to win the Northeast Conference this season and placed two on the preseason All-NEC team in 6-1 junior guard Isaiah Blackmon and 6-4 sophomore guard Keith Braxton, the 2017 NEC Rookie of the Year. SFU was 24th nationally in three-point field goal percentage last year (.391).

Louisville has won its two previous matchups with St. Francis: 84-70 on Feb. 19, 1964 in Freedom Hall; and 76-63 on Dec. 8, 1984 in the Wendy's Classic in Bowling Green, Ky. as Billy Thompson totaled 20 points, 15 rebounds and four assists to lead the Cardinals. Louisville shot a blistering 62.0 percent from the field for the game in that last meeting and held a 49-31 rebounding advantage. Greg Jacobs led SFU with 13 points.

CARDINAL NOTES

Card File — Louisville is one of four schools that have both its men's and women's basketball teams ranked among the nation's top 20 teams (also Duke, Notre Dame and Texas A&M) ... The Cardinals are off to a great start at the free throw line this season, connecting on 80.3 percent of their charity tosses in their first three games (16th in the nation). Freshman guard Darius Perry has made all 16 of his free throws ... Junior forward Ray Spalding scored a career-high 19 points and posted his third career double-double vs. Omaha in adding 11 rebounds, three blocks and two steals. His rebound total was one below his career high of 12 ... Louisville's bench has contributed 42 percent of the Cardinals scoring this season, an average of 34 points per game (102 bench points) ... Louisville's 87- 78 victory over Omaha was the Cardinals' 138th consecutive win when scoring 85 or more points in regulation, including a perfect 115-0 record over the last 17 years ... UofL is seventh nationally in fewest fouls per game (13.3). The Cards are 11th in the nation in total rebounds per game (46.0).

Blockbirds — Louisville is off to a strong start rejecting shots. In early statistics, the Cardinals lead in the nation, blocking an average of 9.7 shots a game. Center Anas Mahmoud is fourth in the nation, averaging 4.3 blocks a game. Seven different Cardinals have blocked shots in the first three games. Louisville's 15 blocked shots against Omaha were its most in a game since swatting a school-record 18 shots against Holy Cross on Dec. 7, 2003. Mahmoud's eight blocks in 22 minutes against Omaha were a career high. He has blocked a shot in 57 career games, including three in his last game vs. Southern Illinois.