CARDINALS

TV info, story lines for U of L-Virginia Tech

Jeff Greer

@jeffgreer_cj

Louisville Cardinals head coach Rick Pitino reacts in the second half. The Tar Heels defeated the Cardinals 72-71 at Dean E. Smith Center.

VIRGINIA TECH AT U OF L

Game time: 7:05 p.m. Site: KFC Yum! Center. Line: Louisville by 22 1/2 points. Series: U of L leads 28-8 and won the last meeting 78-74 in 1995 at Freedom Hall. Television: Fox Sports South (local). Radio: WKRD-790.

PROJECTED STARTERS

VIRGINIA TECH (8-7, 0-2 ACC)

Pos.-Player Ht. Cl. Rb. Pts.

G-Adam Smith 6-1 Jr 2.8 12.7

G-Devin Wilson 6-4 So. 3.0 7.9

G-Ahmed Hill 6-5 Fr. 3.8 8.0

G-Justin Bibbs 6-5 Fr. 3.3 13.5

F-Shane Henry 6-8 Jr. 3.4 2.2

Key reserves - Joey van Zegeren, F, 6-10, R-Jr., 9.8 pts.; Jalen Hudson, G, 6-5, Fr., 5.9; Malik Muller, G, 6-3, R-Fr., 4.0; Will Johnston, G, 6-4, Sr., 3.7; Satchel Pierce, F, 7-0, Fr., 3.6; Christian Beyer, F, 6-7, Sr., 1.9.

LOUISVILLE (14-2, 2-1 ACC)

Pos.-Player Ht. Cl. Rb. Pts.

G-Chris Jones 5-10 Sr. 3.9 13.2

G-Terry Rozier 6-1 So. 5.6 17.5

F-Wayne Blackshear 6-5 Sr. 5.3 12.4

F-Montrezl Harrell 6-8 Jr. 9.0 15.5

C-Chinanu Onuaku 6-10 Fr. 5.5 4.1

Key reserves – Mangok Mathiang 6-10 R-So. 2.3 pts.; Shaqquan Aaron, G, 6-7, Fr., 2.2; Anas Mahmoud, F, 7-0, Fr., 1.8; Anton Gill, G, 6-3, So., 3.4; Quentin Snider, G, 6-1, Fr., 2.1; David Levitch, G, 6-3, So., 2.2; Jaylen Johnson, F, 6-9, Fr., 1.3; Matz Stockman, C, 7-0, Fr., 1.3.

STORYLINES

* Louisville and Virginia Tech may not have crossed paths in nearly 20 years, but the Hokies will be awfully familiar to Rick Pitino. That's because Pitino met Virginia Tech coach Buzz Williams quite a bit when Williams was the head coach at Marquette, one of U of L's Big East rivals before leaving the league. Pitino has raved about Williams ability to connect with his players, and while Tech is in a transition year, Pitino expects the Hokies to rapidly improve under Williams.

* Terry Rozier and Chris Jones have had impressive runs of play of late. Rozier, a sophomore, averages 21 points, 5.4 rebounds and two steals a game over the past nine contests. He's scored 20-plus points in four of those games. His backcourt mate Jones has hit his stride in the past three contests, averaging 21 points, 5.7 assists, four rebounds and three steals. Even better? Jones has made 50 percent of his shots in that stretch.

* U of L big fella Montrezl Harrell struggled a bit at UNC, totaling just nine points and five rebounds, but a big game against Virginia Tech could help the 6-foot-8 All-American reach a milestone. He needs 23 points to become the 66th career 1,000-point scorer in U of L program history.