Pitt hosts Louisville in Saturday evening matchup.
Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images
Louisville Cardinals (8-17, 3-11) at Pittsburgh Panthers (16-8, 7-6)
Game Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Petersen Events Center: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Television: ACC Network
Announcers: Doug Sherman (play-by-play) and Josh Pastner (analyst)
Favorite: Pittsburgh by 12.5
Series: Louisville leads, 21-10
Last Meeting: Pittsburgh won 83-70 on Jan. 6 in Louisville
About Pittsburgh:
The Panthers have suddenly played themselves onto the NCAA tournament bubble thanks to a four week stretch that has seen them win six out of seven games. The stretch has included quality victories over Wake Forest, Duke and Virginia, with the last of those two coming on the road.
Jeff Capel’s team still has a ton of work to do if it wants to play its way into the field of 68, and a Quad 4 loss to Louisville on Saturday night would all but torpedo those hopes.
Louisville had won 17 of 18 games against Pitt before the Panthers’ current four-game winning streak in which their average margin of victory has been 18.7 points per game. Included in that span is an 83-70 victory at the KFC Yum Center back on Jan. 6.
Pitt leads the ACC in three-point field goals (9.33 pg) and have made 10 or more threes in a game 12 times, including six times in ACC play. That’s not great news for a Louisville team that enters Saturday’s contest ranked last in the league in three-point percentage defense (.352) and second to last in three-point field goals allowed (8.16 3pg.).
The Panthers are still led by Blake Hinson, who averages 18.2 ppg and has scored in double figures in 21 games and topped the 20-point mark 10 times. He ranks among the ACC leaders in scoring (5th - 18.3 ppg.), three-pointers (1st - 82), and three-point percentage (5th - .412). He dropped a team-high 21 points on the Cards in the first meeting.
Freshman guard Carlton Carrington could be well on his way to earning some Freshman All-America accolades. He has scored in double figures 18 times with five or more assists on 11 occasions. He ranks second among ACC freshmen in scoring (13.4 ppg.), rebounds (5.3 rpg.), and assists (4.3 apg.), and third in three-point field goals per game (1.8 3pg.).
Pitt is averaging 19.1 points per game off the bench over the past seven games. The Panthers have an 134-87 edge in bench scoring in that stretch with ACC Sixth Man of the Year candidate Ishmael Leggett providing much of the scoring pop with 13.4 points per game off the bench in that stretch.
Notable:
—After losing 17 of 18 games to the Cardinals, Pitt has won four consecutive games against Louisville with an average scoring margin of +18.7 points per game in those contests.
—Louisville is 9-4 all-time in road games against Pitt.
—The Panthers are 12-0 on the season when posting a better field goal percentage than its opponent. Pitt is shooting 46.7 percent from the fi eld, including 37.3 percent from three-point range in its wins, compared to 36 percent and 29 percent shooting splits from the fi eld and three-point range in losses.
—Pitt is 14-2 when winning the rebounding battle. The Panthers rank among the ACC leaders in offensive rebounds (3rd - 11.96 orpg.), rebounds (2nd - 38.29 rpg.), rebound margin (2nd - +5.08), defensive rebound percentage (1st - .763), and offensive rebound percentage (2nd - .323).
—Pitt is 13-1 this season when leading at the half.
—U of L is one of two teams in the nation, along with New Mexico, with five different players who have scored at least 26 points in a game this season – Huntley-Hatfield (29), Tre White (29), Skyy Clark (29), Johnson (27) and Mike James (26).
—Saturday’s contest features Pitt’s Roc the Royal promotion with the Panthers wearing their traditional road blue uniforms. Pitt is 5-1 on the season when wearing its blue jerseys.
—Louisville is 5-30 in ACC games under the direction of head coach Kenny Payne, and 0-3 against Pittsburgh.
—Louisville is 224-16 over the last 20 seasons and 21-4 over the last three when scoring 80 points or more. The Cards are 5-2 in such games this season.
—Since 2004, Louisville is 130-0 when leading by more than 10 points at halftime.
—Louisville has won 162 consecutive games when holding an opponent under 50 points.
Ken Pomeroy Prediction: Pittsburgh 80, Louisville 68
