Cards Return Home to Face DePaul

Game Information
Site: KFC Yum! Center/Denny Crum Court, Louisville, Ky. (22,090) (174-29 in 12th year)
Television: ACC Network - Jay Alter, play-by-play; Malcolm Huckaby, analyst.
Radio: WHAS (840 AM) Paul Rogers, play-by-play; Bob Valvano, analyst (XM channel 371, SiriusXM App 371)
Series History: Louisville leads 38-21 (21-7 in Louisville, 17-12 in Chicago, 0-2 neutral)
Last Meeting: UofL 79, DePaul 58 (Feb. 27, 2013 at Rosemont, Ill.)
Next UofL Game: Dec. 14 vs. Southeastern Louisiana, KFC Yum! Center, 6 p.m. ET (ACCN)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Louisville will return to the KFC Yum! Center for the first time in four games -- a 20 day span -- as the Cardinals face the DePaul Blue Demons on Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

Louisville prevailed 73-68 over NC State in its first ACC game of the season on Dec. 4 as the Cardinals closed the game on a 9-0 run over the last 3:03. Matt Cross, who contributed 13 points and seven rebounds in the win, buried a three-pointer with 28 seconds remaining to break the tie game. Malik Williams, second in the ACC in rebounding, produced his seventh career double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Williams needs nine points for 700 in his career.

Jarrod West handed out his 450th career assist with six assists against NC State. He is third in the nation in career steals among active players with 267, including 13 in his first eight games at Louisville.

DePaul, which ranks 16th in the nation in scoring offense averaging 85.3 points, is off to a 7-1 start under first-year head coach Tony Stubblefield, falling only to Loyola Chicago 68-64 on Dec. 4. The Blue Demons beat Duquesne 87-67 in their last game on Dec. 7. DePaul has five players averaging over nine points a game in scoring led by Javon Freeman-Liberty at 21.8 points per game. Freeman-Liberty was selected as the Big East Player of the Week in the first two weeks of the season.

Louisville has a 38-21 advantage over DePaul in the series which dates back to 1957. The Cardinals were 23-2 against the Blue Demons when the two teams were in the same conference (1995-2005 in Conference USA, 2006-2013 in the Big East). Louisville has won the last 10 straight, including a 79-58 victory in the last meeting on Feb. 27, 2013 as Russ Smith's 17 points led five Cardinals in double figures.

Cancer Awareness Night
Friday's game will be Cancer Awareness Night at the KFC Yum! Center. The Cardinals will honor and celebrate those who have battled and continue to battle against cancer while raising awareness and funds to benefit cancer research. Festivities include awareness-focused giveaways (posters, stickers, and more), a halftime survivor recognition on the court, and fundraising efforts for Jaxen's Journey – the charity remembering UofL strength and conditioning coach Andy Kettler's son Jaxen, who lost his life to brain cancer at the age of two in July 2016.

Additional support groups in attendance will include members of Gilda's Club Kentuckiana, Friends for Hope, Kids Cancer Alliance, Friends for Life Cancer Support Network, and more. Survivors attending who wish to register for the halftime on-court recognition may register here.

In support of Jaxen's Journey the Cardinals will look to raise awareness and funds to benefit cancer research. Kettler and his wife Kimbraly started Jaxen's Journey to benefit pediatric cancer research. Donations may be made at this link, and additional information is available through the organization's website at www.jaxensjourney.com.

Notes

Louisville has a 48-13 record (.787) in the month of December over the last eight years.
Louisville is No. 18 nationally in adjusted defense in KenPom analytics (second in the ACC). The Cardinals rank 19th in the NCAA in defensive rebounding (29.9 rpg) through Dec. 5. Louisville is averaging 28.0 points from its bench.
Dre Davis has averaged 12.4 points and 6.2 rebounds over the last five games, UofL's top scorer in that stretch (11 pts., 7 reb. at NC State).
El Ellis has scored 29 points in his last 26 minutes on the court -- 18 in the final seven minutes at Michigan State as part of his career-high 22 points, and 11 point in 19 minutes at NC State. He had scored just 27 points through his first six games with the Cardinals. He became the sixth different player in eight games to lead UofL in scoring at Michigan State.
Noah Locke has made four three-pointers in three games this season, including 12 points on 4-of-8 threes at NC State.
The last day of classes for the UofL Fall 2021 semester was Dec. 6, with final exams occurring Dec. 8-14. Classes for the Spring 2022 semester will begin on Jan. 10.
Louisville has an all-time 18-5 record in games played on Dec. 10, winning 15 of its last 16 games played on that date.

University of Louisville Athletics

Players Mentioned

Matt Cross

Dre Davis

El Ellis

Noah Locke

Jarrod West

Malik Williams

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