Preview: Louisville Cardinals vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

The Cardinals are back in action for their conference home opener following a COVID pause.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons (11-1, 1-0 ACC) at Louisville Cardinals (7-4, 1-0 ACC)

- Tipoff: Wednesday, December 29th at 8:00 p.m. EST
- Location: KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.
- How To Watch: ACC Network
- How To Listen: WKRD 790 AM
- Betting Favorite: Louisville -2.5
- All-Time Series: Louisville leads 8-2
- Last Meeting: Louisville won 77-65 on Jan. 13, 2021 (Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C.)

Projected Starting Lineups

Louisville

• F Dre Davis (6-5, 210, So.)
• F Matt Cross (6-7, 230, So.)
• C Malik Williams (6-11, 245, Sr.)
• G Noah Locke (6-3, 210, Sr.)
• G Jarrod West (5-11, 185, Gr.).

Wake Forest

• F Isaiah Mucius (6-8, 200, Jr.)
• F Khadim Sy (6-10, 240, Gr.)
• C Dallas Walton (7-0, 230, Gr.)
• G Daivien Williamson (6-1, 180, Sr.)
• G Alondes Williams (6-5, 210, Gr.)

Main Storylines

Here are the more significant storylines to follow ahead of Louisville's matchup with Wake Forest: Points of Emphasis: Louisville vs. Wake Forest

Comparison

See how the Cardinals stack up against the Demon Deacons, and who the statistical models favor: Tale of The Tape & Prediction: Louisville vs. Wake Forest

Game Notes

Louisville

• After a COVID-related pause and a brief Christmas break, Louisville will play its first home ACC game of the season and its last game of the 2021 calendar year as the Cardinals face the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in the KFC Yum! Center on Wednesday.
• In its last game, Louisville fell 82-72 at Western Kentucky on Dec. 18 as the Hilltoppers’ 50 percent shooting from the field was the highest for a UofL opponent this season. Noah Locke led UofL with 20 points while Jarrod West contributed eight points, a season-high five steals and a team-high four assists. The Cardinals played without leading scorer and rebounder Malik Williams.
• Louisville has won its first home conference game eight of the last nine years, entering Wednesday’s ACC home opener vs. Wake Forest.
• Mason Faulkner -- who has totaled 12 points and three assists off the bench in each of the last two games -- needs five points for 1,400 in his career at Northern Kentucky, Western Carolina and Louisville. Jarrod West needs 22 points for 1,300 in his career at Marshall and UofL.
• Louisville buried a season-high 13 three-pointers at Western Ky., its third game this season with 10 or more threes. The Cardinals did not make double-digit threes in any game last year.
• Jarrod West is third in the nation in career steals among active players with 276, including 22 in his first 11 games at Louisville. He collected a season-high five steals at Western Ky., his fourth game this season with three or more steals. West is fifth in the ACC in assists/turnovers ratio (2.27) and sixth in assists (3.8).
• Louisville is No. 20 nationally in adjusted defense in KenPom analytics (first in the ACC). The Cardinals rank 16th in the NCAA in defensive rebounding (29.6 rpg) through Dec. 26. Louisville is averaging 27.6 points from its bench, gaining a season-high 44 bench points vs. SE Louisiana two games ago (31 vs. WKU).
• Six different players have led the Cardinals in scoring in Louisville’s 11 games.
• Louisville has produced eight or more steals in six of its 11 games. The Cardinals are sixth in the ACC in steals (7.6 per game)
• Louisville has held nine of its first 11 opponents under 43 percent from the field this season and five under 40 percent. The Cardinals lead the ACC and are 36th nationally in field goal percentage defense (.387)
• Noah Locke is fifth in the ACC in three-pointers made per game (2.3). Locke has made at least three threes in five games
• Jarrod West is fifth in the ACC in assists/turnovers ratio (2.21) and sixth in assists (3.8). West handed out his 450th assist in his career with five at NC State (466 now; 424 at Marshall, 42 at Louisville).

Wake Forest

• Wake Forest is in the top 5 in the ACC in multiple statistical categories, both offensively and defensively
• 2nd in fi eld goal percentage (48.7 %)
• 2nd in scoring offense (81.2/game)
• 2nd in scoring margin (+14.08)
• 3rd in steals (7.9/game)
• 3rd in 3-pt field goal percentage defense (.306)
• 3rd in defensive rebounds per game (27.5)
• 5th in three-point fi eld goals made (101 total, 8.4/game)
• 5th in assists (14.6/game)
• Wake Forest’s 11-1 start to the 2021-22 season marks the program’s best start through 11 games since the 2008-09 season (17-1). The Deacs are also the first ACC team to reach double-digit wins this season.
• The Demon Deacons shot 50 percent or better from the fi eld in the opening five games of the season. This years’ squad is the first to shoot 50 percent or better from the fi eld in the first five games since the 2000-01 season.
• Head coach Steve Forbes holds a career win percentage of 71.6 over 15 season as a head coach, 10 of those 15 seasons were winning-record seasons.
• Daivien Williamson is first the league and 11th in the nation in free throw percentage at 92.5 percent. He is 37-40 from the line and went 12-13 at the line against LSU. He ecliped the 1,000 point mark against Charleston Southern. He became the 54th member of the club at Wake Forest and his current 1,112 points put him 43rd on the list.
• With 414 career rebounds, Isaiah Mucius is only 86 rebounds away from becoming the 37th player to amass 500 rebounds for the Deacs. Additionally, Mucius is 241 points away from becoming the 55th Demon Deacon to join the 1000-point club.

Players to Watch for Louisville vs. Wake Forest

F/C Malik Williams

Michael Clevenger/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

10.9 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 1.8 SPG

SG Noah Locke

Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

10.5 PPG, 31.3 3PT%

SG Alondes Williams

21.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 4.9 APG

PG Daivien Williamson

13.4 PPG, 38.7 3PT%, 92.5 FT%

(Photo of Dre Davis: Jamie Rhodes - USA TODAY Sports)

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