Cards Face NC State in First ACC Contest

Game Information
Site: PNC Arena (19,700), Raleigh, N.C.
Television: ESPN2 - Anish Shroff, play-by-play; Debbie Antonelli, analyst.
Radio: WHAS (840 AM) Paul Rogers, play-by-play; Bob Valvano, analyst (XM channel 381, SiriusXM App 971)
Series History: Louisville leads 13-10 (7-2 in Louisville, 5-6 in Raleigh, 1-2 neutral)
Last Meeting: UofL 77, NC State 57 (Feb. 1, 2020 at Raleigh, N.C.)
Next UofL Game: Dec. 10 vs. DePaul, KFC Yum! Center, 8:00 p.m. ET (ACCN)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Louisville will play its first ACC game of the season as the Cardinals face the North Carolina State Wolfpack in Raleigh, N.C. on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.

Louisville fell 64-73 at No. 22/22 Michigan State in the Big Ten/ACC Challlenge on Wednesday as the Spartans made 10-of-18 three-pointers. El Ellis led the Cardinals with a career-high 22 points off the bench, 18 of which came in the second half as the Cards fought back from a 20-point deficit to close within eight in the final two minutes. The Cardinals matched a season-high with 19 forced turnovers and collected nine steals against Michigan State, the fifth time in seven games with at least nine thefts.

Dre Davis, an all-tournament selection in the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship, scored 15 points against Michigan State, marking his third game in double figures in the last four contests. He has averaged 12.8 points and 6.0 rebounds over the last four games, the Cardinals' top scorer in that stretch. He had scored 11 points in Louisville's first three games.

NC State, coached by former Louisville assistant Kevin Keatts, beat Nebraska 104-100 in four overtimes on Wednesday in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge as Dereon Seabron totaled 39 points, 19 rebounds and four assists for the Wolfpack. Named ACC Player of the Week on Nov. 15, Seabron leads the ACC in rebounding (11.0 per game) and steals (2.6) and is second in scoring (21.7) and fifth in field goal percentage (.579).

The Wolpack, which have lost only to Oklahoma State on Nov. 17 in the Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase, are the top shot blockers in the ACC (5.4 per game). NC State leads the ACC in free throws made (139) and attempted (189), ranking 10th and 12th, respectively in the nation. NC State is No. 75 in ESPN's College Basketball Power Index (BPI), No. 66 by KenPom analytics, and No. 85 in the Sagarin Ratings through Dec. 2 (Louisville is 32 in the BPI, 39 in the Sagarin Ratings and 40 in KenPom).

Notes

Louisville has won its conference opening game in 11 of the last 13 seasons and eight of the last nine entering Saturday's ACC opener at NC State. Louisville has won its first conference road game in 11 of the last 14 seasons.
Louisville's 32 ACC road wins in its eighth year in the league is the fourth-most in the ACC in that period.
Louisville has a 13-10 series advantage over NC State and has won five of the last six meetings. In the last matchup, the Cards prevailed 77-57 at NC State on Feb. 1, 2020 as Ryan McMahon led Louisville with 23 points off the bench, burying 7-of-10 three-pointers. The two teams did not play last season; they were set to open conference play last year in Louisville on Dec. 16 before the Cardinals were hit with an 18-day layoff due to COVID-19 issues.
NC State Head Coach Kevin Keatts was an assistant at UofL for three seasons (2011-14) when the Cardinals posted a 96-21 (.821) record.
The Cardinals beat the Wolfpack 75-65 in the 2015 NCAA East Region semifinals in Syracuse, N.Y. (3-27-15) as Montrezl Harrell led UofL with 24 points and Terry Rozier added 17 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. NC State was the last team to beat Louisville in 1986 before the Cardinals won their last 17 games to win the NCAA Championship.
Louisville has an all-time 18-5 record in games played on Dec. 4, winning its last nine games played on that date.
Malik Williams, a preseason All-ACC second team selection and the MVP of the 2021 Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship, has grabbed at least eight rebounds in six of the first seven games (10 points, 8 rebounds, two steals at Michigan State). He ranks second in the ACC in rebounding (9.6 rpg) and 13th in the nation in defensive rebounding (7.6 per game).
Jarrod West is third in the nation in career steals among active players with 267, including 13 in his first seven games at Louisville.
Louisville is No. 18 nationally in adjusted defense in KenPom analytics (third in the ACC).

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Players Mentioned

Dre Davis

El Ellis

Jarrod West

Malik Williams

University of Louisville Athletics