Yo, the Louisville men’s hoops squad is hittin’ the home stretch, and they’re settin’ up shop at the KFC Yum! Center for four of their last five regular-season games. First up? They’re squarin’ off against Florida State this Saturday at noon, and it’s goin’ live on The CW—don’t sleep on this one, fam!
The Cardinals are rollin’ hot, tryna stretch their win streak to five after smackin’ Notre Dame 75-60 last Sunday night. Florida State ain’t slouchin’ either—they’ve snagged three of their last four, includin’ a 74-66 dub over Miami on Wednesday at home. These squads already locked horns once this season—back on December 21 in Tallahassee—and the Cards walked away with a 90-76 W, kickin’ off a nine-game ACC win streak that’s got ‘em flexin’.
Game 27 Deets
- Listen Up: Cardinal Sports Network—catch it on WLCL 93.9 FM or WGTK 970 AM, with Paul Rogers callin’ the plays and Jody Demling breakin’ it down.
- Watch It: The CW got Thom Brenaman on play-by-play and Brian Oliver droppin’ analysis.
- Live Stats: Check Louisville Live Stats—keep it locked!
Promo Vibes
- Kid’s Day: Sixth year runnin’—the lil’ Cards fans are takin’ over the Yum! Center, bringin’ that young energy to the stands.
Cardinal Cuts
Louisville’s out here makin’ history—first time in their 111-year run they’ve snagged five road dubs by 20 or more: Virginia (20), Syracuse (24), SMU (25), Boston College (26), and NC State (25). That NC State game on February 12? Cards shot 60% from the field, 50% from deep, and 90% from the line—first time ever they hit that trifecta in one night.
Point guard Chucky Hepburn’s a straight dawg—named to the Naismith Trophy Men’s Player of the Year Midseason Team. Coach Pat Kelsey’s got the squad turnin’ heads too—landed on the Naismith Coach of the Year Watch List Friday ‘cause the Cards are one of the most improved teams in the game. NET’s up, wins are pilin’—they’ve flipped the script from last year’s mess.
Numbers don’t lie—as of February 20, Louisville’s fifth in the nation for 3-point attempts (30.3 per game). Reyne Smith’s a sniper—leadin’ the country with 3.85 treys a game, second in total makes (100), and fourth in attempts (251). Hepburn’s dishin’ dimes—16th in assists per game (6.2), 21st in total assists (155), plus he’s a thief with 17th in steals (59) and 14th in steals per game (2.36).
Sophomore James Scott’s throwin’ it down—fourth in the country with 56 dunks, tops in the ACC, and fifth on Louisville’s single-season dunk list. The Cards’ six L’s? Four came against AP Top 25 squads—No. 3 Duke, No. 6 Tennessee, No. 17 Kentucky, No. 24 Ole Miss—plus Oklahoma, a combined 97-33.
Rewind to SMU on January 21—Hepburn broke the UofL single-game assists record with 16, Smith smashed the 3-point mark with 10. First D1 team this century with 10+ treys and 15+ assists in one game—last seen in the NBA with Klay and Steph in ‘22. And Terrence Edwards Jr.? Fifth-year vet snagged ACC Player of the Week on February 10—third Card to cop that honor this year after Hepburn and Smith.
The Lowdown
Cards are bringin’ heat—nine straight ACC dubs since that FSU win, and they’re lookin’ to keep the clippers buzzin’. Florida State’s got momentum, but Louisville’s got the home edge and a squad that’s firin’ on all cylinders. Who’s walkin’ out with the W? Saturday’s gonna tell the tale, fam—y’all ready for this?
