No. 11 U of L-Clemson: Storylines, how to watch
Clemson at No. 11 Louisville
Game time: 9:05 p.m., Thursday. Site: KFC Yum! Center. Spread: U of L opened as an 8-point favorite. Series: U of L leads, 4-1, but Clemson won the last meeting, 66-62, last season. Television: ESPN (Jason Benetti, Dan Dakich). Internet live-stream: ESPN3.com, WatchESPN app. Radio: WHAS-840; SiriusXM channel 84.
PROJECTED STARTERS
LOUISVILLE (15-3, 3-2 ACC)
Pos.-Player Ht. Cl. Rb. Pts.
G-Donovan Mitchell, 6-3, So., 5.1, 13.6
G-V.J. King, 6-6, Fr., 2.4, 6.1
F-Deng Adel, 6-7, So., 4.3, 10.4
F-Ray Spalding, 6-10, So., 5.6, 6.9
C-Anas Mahmoud, 7-0, Jr., 4.1, 6.5
Key reserves - Jaylen Johnson, F, 6-9, Jr., 8.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg; Mangok Mathiang, C, 6-10, R-Sr., 5.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg; Tony Hicks, G, 6-1, Gr., 3.0 ppg, 1.2 rpg; Matz Stockman, C, 7-0, Jr., 2.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg; Ryan McMahon, G, 6-0, R-Fr., 2.1 ppg, 0.5 rpg; David Levitch, G, 6-3, Sr., 1.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg. - * Quentin Snider (strained hip flexor) is out.
CLEMSON (11-6, 1-4)
Pos.-Player Ht. Cl. Rb. Pts.
G-Avry Holmes, 6-2, Gr., 2.6, 11.3
G-Shelton Mitchell, 6-3, So., 2.5, 8.0
F-Jaron Blossomgame, 6-7, Gr., 6.0, 18.4
F-Donte Grantham, 6-8, Jr., 5.2, 9.1
C-Sidy Djitte, 6-10, Sr., 7.8, 6.6
Key reserves - Marcquise Reed, G, 6-3, So., 9.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg; Gabe DeVoe, G, 6-4, Jr., 9.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg; Elijah Thomas, F, 6-9, So., 8.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg; Ty Hudson, G, 6-1, So., 1.1 ppg, 0.1 rpg.
STORYLINES
► A revenge game? Louisville lost at Clemson last season, and that 66-62 scoreline is a lot closer than the game was. U of L struggled for most of that game in just about every facet. Until the school announced that it was pulling the Cards out of all postseason play, that loss at Clemson was perhaps the lowest point of the season. The teams are in a much different place this time around: Louisville has won three in a row and Clemson is on a four-game skid. But the Cards will have to figure out how to play without Quentin Snider, their most valuable player.
MORE U OF L COVERAGE
► Pitino unsure of plan without Snider
► Former U of L star Lee upbeat after latest obstacle
► ACC Power Rankings: What the heck is going on?
► Getting Jaylen going: Rick Pitino is happy with the way just about everyone on his roster is playing, from Anas Mahmoud to Ray Spalding. Mangok Mathiang, Pitino said Tuesday, is playing better of late, too. But Jaylen Johnson, once the team's leading scorer and rebounder, is in a funk. Part of it is simply a lack of available playing time as Mahmoud and Spalding thrive. Johnson has averaged just 13.8 minutes per game during the past four contests, and he's only averaging 2.3 points and three rebounds a game. Pitino said the next big goal for U of L is getting Johnson going again.
► Scouting Clemson: Before the season started, Clemson looked like it had a chance to move into the top half of the ACC. But the Tigers are 1-4 in league play and 11-6 overall. They're struggling in two particular areas: Defensive rebounding and field-goal defense. Those are, obviously, important factors in how a team does. Clemson is 11th in the ACC in defensive efficiency as a result. Opponents make 43.1 percent of their 3-pointers against Brad Brownell's bunch.
