Preview: Louisville Cardinals vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

The Cardinals hope to secure to their first win of the Kenny Payne era when they return home to host the Hilltoppers.

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (8-1, 0-0 C-USA) at Louisville Cardinals (0-9, 0-2 ACC)

- Tipoff: Wednesday, December 14 at 9:00 p.m. EST
- Location: KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.
- How To Watch: ESPN2
- How To Listen: 93.9 FM
- Betting Favorite: Western Kentucky -6.5
- All-Time Series: Louisville leads 42-40
- Last Meeting: Western Kentucky won 82-72 on Dec. 21, 2021 (E.A. Diddle Area - Bowling Green, Ky.)

Projected Starting Lineups

Louisville

• G El Ellis (6-3, 180, Sr.)
• G/F Mike James (6-5, 215, R-Fr.)
• F Jae'Lyn Withers (6-9, 220, R-Jr.)
• F Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (6-10, 250, So.)
• F Sydney Curry (6-8, 270, Sr.)

Western Kentucky

• G Dayvion McKnight (6-1, 195, Jr.)
• G Emmanuel Akot (6-8, 215, 6th)
• G Luke Frampton (6-5, 205, 6th)
• F Jairus Hamilton (6-8, 230, 5th)
• C Jamarion Sharp (7-4, 255, Sr.)

Comparison

See how the Cardinals stack up against the Hilltoppers, and who the statistical models favor: Tale of The Tape, Predictions: Louisville vs. Western Kentucky

Game Notes

Louisville

• As of Monday, the combined record of all Louisville opponents from the start of the season through the end of 2022 was 87-50. The Cardinals’ opponents over the last six games have an average KenPom ranking of 54. Ten of Louisville’s 14 opponents before the end of 2022 currently have at least six wins.
• After recording six or less assists in four of five previous games, Louisville set a new season high Saturday with 14 assists at Florida State. El Ellis, Jae’Lyn Withers and Fabio Basili all recorded at least three assists.
• Guard/forward Mike James is one of 13 freshmen in the country averaging at least seven points per game, while also shooting at least 45% from the field, 38% from 3-point range and 80% from the free-throw line.
• Senior guard El Ellis has scored in double figures in seven of nine games this year. As of Monday, he was ranked 11th in the ACC in scoring at 15.6 points per game and in minutes per game (33.4).
• Junior forward JJ Traynor has made 7 of 16 3-pointers in nine games this season (43.8%). Traynor was also a combined 7 of 16 from long range across his first two entire seasons (30 total games).
• Per Ken Pomeroy, Louisville is 340th in the country in Division I experience with an average of 0.88 years. Western Kentucky ranks 32nd in the country in experience with an average of 2.79 years.
• Last game: Louisville fell 75-53 at Florida State in the Cardinals' first true road game of the season. Kenny Payne moved to 0-9 in his head coaching career.
• KEY FIRST HALF RUNS: The Cards, who did not lead once during the game, went on a 6-0 run with consecutive 3s by Mike James starting at 11:19 and elapsing 1:54 to close their deficit to just six at 21- 15. The Seminoles went on a 15-9 run that closed out the first half, starting at 9:25 and elapsing 7:32. 
• KEY SECOND HALF RUN: The Seminoles had a 16-9 run starting at 15:56 and elapsing 5:45 to increase their lead to 59-39.
• UofL shot 20 of 54 (.370) from the field, 9 of 23 (.391) from 3-point range, and 4 of 9 (.444) from the free-throw line. Four Cardinals made at least two 3-point shots against the Seminoles.
• The Cardinals had a season high in assists with 14 on 20 made baskets against the Seminoles. Their previous season-high was 12 against Bellarmine on Nov. 9.
• Jae'Lyn Withers scored eight points for the Cardinals and pulled down a team-high seven rebounds. With three assists against the Seminoles, Withers tied his career high.
• El Ellis scored a team-high 15 points for the Cardinals, shooting 5 of 17 (.294) from the field and 2 of 7 (.286) from beyond the arc. Ellis was the only Cardinal to score in double figures. Ellis’ four assists were a team high.
• J.J. Traynor scored six points in the contest shooting 2 of 4 (.500) from the field and a perfect 2 of 2 from beyond the arc. The two 3-pointers ties a career high in 3-point field goals for Traynor.
• Mike James scored nine points in the contest, shooting 3 of 5 (.600) from the field and 3 of 4 (.750) from beyond the arc. James’ three made shots from beyond the arc ties a career high in 3-point field goals.

Western Kentucky

• WKU is off to its best start in over 15 seasons at 8-1, most recently defeating Wright State at home on Saturday night. Louisville has started the season 0-9 and is coming off two ACC losses.
• WKU is 11-9 against Power Five teams since the start of the 2017-18 season. The Hilltoppers' most recent Power Five win was over Louisville on Dec. 18, 2021. WKU's most recent Power Five win on the road was at Alabama on Dec. 19, 2020. This is the 17th of 21 Power Five contests that WKU has played away from home.
• WKU has the opportunity to defeat Louisville in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1949. In 2021, the Hilltoppers defeated the Cardinals for the first time ever in Diddle Arena.
• WKU and Louisville are two of 22 teams in NCAA DI that have father-son, coach-player duos.
• As of Tuesday, WKU is second in the country in 3-point percentage (43.3%). WKU is also third in blocks per game (6.3).
• As of Tuesday, Jamarion Sharp leads the country in total blocks (43) and blocks per game (4.78). Luke Frampton is second in the country in 3-point percentage (58.3%).
• In WKU's win over Wright State, Dayvion McKnight became the ninth player in college basketball since 2010-11 to log at least his stat line or better: 32 points, three assists, four steals, four rebounds and 76% FG.
• Dayvion McKnight became the first Hilltopper since 2000 to log seven steals when he did so at Austin Peay on Nov. 30.
• With 13 blocks against Indianapolis on Nov. 15, the Hilltoppers broke the program's record for blocks in a single game. There were five Hilltoppers that contributed to the record: Jamarion Sharp (8), Fallou Diagne (2), Dayvion McKnight (1), Dontaie Allen (1) and Tyrone Marshall (1).
• In Rick Stansbury’s seven seasons at the helm, WKU has shot 1,491 more total free throws than its opponents. The Hilltoppers made 87 more free throws than their opponents attempted in 2021-22, which was third in the country. Only 18 schools in the nation were positive in that category.
• Out of WKU's nine games this season, the Hilltoppers have scored first in eight of those contests. Additionally, WKU's first points on the board have been a 3-pointer in four of those eight instances.
• In their 127-61 win over Kentucky State on Nov. 12, the Hilltoppers broke two records and tied another for made 3-pointers. With 19 made 3-pointers, WKU broke its own program record that previously stood at 16.
• At 7-foot-5, junior center Jamarion Sharp – ranked the No. 3 junior college player in the country – is the tallest player in Division I basketball for the second consecutive season.
• At Austin Peay, junior guard Dayvion McKnight logged seven steals, including five in the first half. It was the most by any Hilltopper since 2000, ranking amongst the top five performances in steals in the program's history since at least 1986-87.
• Sixth-year senior Luke Frampton has returned to college basketball for his sixth and final year of eligibility with a vengeance. In the 2021-22 season, he opened up the year going 1 for 19 in the Hilltoppers' first three games from the 3-point line. He didn't make his lone three until the third game. This season, he started the year 13 of 16 from 3, which led the country. He is currently on track to finish in the top 10 on WKU's career 3-point shooting percentage list.
• At the Cayman Islands Classic, Emmanuel Akot was named to the All-Tournament Team. Over the three games, he averaged 12.7 points, 3.7 boards and 2.7 assists.

(Photo of Jae'Lyn Withers: Jared Anderson - Louisville Report)

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