Preview: Louisville Cardinals vs. Eastern Kentucky Colonels

The Cardinals host the Colonels for their final non-conference game at the 2024-25 season.

Nov 22, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard J'Vonne Hadley (1) looks to pass over Winthrop Eagles forward K.J. Doucet (12) during the second half at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville defeated Winthrop 76-61.Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Eastern Kentucky Colonels (6-6, 0-0 ASUN) at Louisville Cardinals (7-5, 1-1 ACC)

- Tipoff: Saturday, December 28 at 12:00 p.m. EST
- Location: KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.
- How To Watch: The CW
- How To Listen: 93.9 FM
- Betting Favorite: Louisville -17.0
- All-Time Series: Louisville leads 53-22
- Last Meeting: Louisville won 99-67 on Dec. 14, 2019 (Louisville, Ky.)

Projected Starting Lineups

Louisville

• G Chucky Hepburn (6-2, 190, Sr.)
• G J'Vonne Hadley (6-6, 215, 5th)
• G/FTerrence Edwards Jr. (6-6, 205, 5th)
• F Noah Waterman (6-11, 230, 6th)
• C James Scott (6-11, 220, So.)

Eastern Kentucky

• G George Kimble III (6-2, 184, So.)
• G Jackson Holt (6-4, 185, R-So.)
• G/F Devontae Blanton (6-6, 214, Sr.)
• F Mayar Wol (6-8, 196, So.)
• F Montavious Myrick (6-8, 208, Sr.)

Comparison

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

Game Notes

Louisville

• Louisville is one of 18 teams in the country this season to play at least four in-state opponents in its non-conference slate. The Cardinals faced Morehead State, Bellarmine and Kentucky already this season.
• Senior guard Reyne Smith was named ACC Player of the Week on Dec. 23 for his 27-point performance at Florida State. It was just the third time in the program’s 11 years in the ACC that Louisville has had multiple ACC Player of the Week awards as Chucky Hepburn also earned that title on Dec. 2.
• Against Florida State on Dec. 21, Chucky Hepburn and Terrence Edwards Jr. both logged eight assists apiece; it was the first Louisville game to have two Cardinals log at least eight assists each in the same game since Peyton Siva and Gorgui Deng both had eight against Syracuse in the 2013 Big East Tournament championship game.
• Louisville have played five ranked opponents before the New Year. The Cardinals have the 12th best strength of schedule according to KenPom as of Dec. 27.
• Louisville’s 89-61 victory over No. 14/15 Indiana in the quarterfinals of the Battle 4 Atlantis was Louisville’s first win over a ranked team since beating No. 19/20 Virginia Tech 73-71 on Jan. 6, 2021. It’s the highest ranked opponent the Cards have beat since beating No. 3 Duke 79-73 on Jan. 18, 2020.
• In the win over Indiana, UofL’s Chucky Hepburn logged 16 points, 10 assists and seven steals. He’s the first DI player with at least those marks since Markquis Nowell of Kansas State did it against West Virginia with 23 points on Dec. 31, 2022.
• All four of Louisville’s losses are to teams now in the top 20 in the AP Poll: No. 1 Tennessee, No. 4 Duke, No. 13 Oklahoma and No. 19 Ole Miss.
• As of Dec. 27, Louisville is fifth in the country in three point attempts per game (32.2) and 52nd in three pointers per game (9.6). Chucky Hepburn is fifth in the country in steals per game at 2.92 and fourth in total steals with 35. Reyne Smith is 18th in the country in 3-pointers per game at 3.42,16th in total three point attempts (107) and 18th in total three pointers made (41). Find the full ranking summary on Page 4.
• Against Winthrop on Nov. 22, Louisville logged 10 blocks, including seven in the first half. Sophomore James Scott blocked five on his own. The 10 total, seven in a half and Scott’s five were all the first time those feats happened for the Cardinals since March 7, 2018 against Florida State.
• Louisville’s 48-point season-opening victory over Morehead State on Nov. 4 was Louisville’s largest margin of victory since a 104-54 win vs. Southern on Nov. 13, 2018, and largest in a season opener since a 92-38 win vs. South Alabama on Nov. 18, 2001.
• Louisville’s 48 first-half points against Bellarmine on Nov. 19 were the most since leading Eastern Kentucky 50-32 at halftime on Dec. 14, 2019.
• In its season opener against Morehead State on Nov. 4, the Cardinals held the Eagles to a 23.1% clip from the floor. It’s the lowest field goal percentage of any Louisville opponent since Nov. 13, 2015 when the Cards held Samford to 21.0%.
• Chucky Hepburn was named ACC Player of the Week on Monday, Dec. 2 after his dominant performance in the Battle 4 Atlantis.
• Chucky Hepburn is the first Cardinal since Russ Smith (2011-12) to log three games of six or more steals in a single season. He grabbed six against No. 12 Tennessee and West Virginia and seven against No. 14/15 Indiana.
• In his Louisville debut, fifth-year senior Kasean Pryor logged a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds against Morehead State on Nov. 4. He is one of seven Cardinals since 1965 to produce a double-double in their first time on the court in a Louisville uniform.
• The Cardinals are one of the more experienced teams in the country this season. Between the 17-man roster, the average amount of years in college basketball is 3.0 years with just two underclassmen on the roster.
• Louisville has just two underclassmen in freshman Khani Rooths and sophomore James Scott. Louisville is one of just 11 schools in DI that has two or fewer underclassmen on their roster, and the only Power Four school in that list.
• Louisville returns just a single letterwinner to its roster in walk-on Aidan McCool. The program returns virtually 0% in all statistical categories from 2023-24. Louisville is one of five programs in the country returning 0% in scoring, rebounding and minutes played; the Cardinals are joined by DePaul, IU Indy, Iona and Kentucky.

Eastern Kentucky

• EKU men’s basketball is branded as the “Most Exciting 40 Minutes In Sports.” The goal is to lead the country in scoring, 3-pointers made, assists, steals and forced turnovers.
• The Colonels won the 2023-24 ASUN regular season championship, the program’s first regular season conference title since 1978-79.
• Devontae Blanton is on the Lou Henson Award Watch List for mid-major player of the year.
• A.W. Hamilton was chosen as the 2024 ASUN Coach of the Year.
• Devontae Blanton was selected by head coaches to the 2024-25 Preseason All-Atlantic Sun Conference Team.
• EKU was picked to finish second in the ASUN Media Poll.
• George Kimble III leads the ASUN and is fifth in the NCAA with an average of 2.92 steals per game.
• EKU ranks 26th in the nation in turnover margin (+4.4). The Colonels are 22nd in steals per game (9.8) and 35th in turnovers forced per game (15.58).
• Jordan Crawford’s 3-pointer with 1:47 left in the first half put the Colonels ahead 34-32 at Pittsburgh (Dec. 11).
• Mayar Wol’s 3-pointer from the right wing gave EKU a 54-50 lead with 12:50 left in the game at Clemson.
• EKU lost 82 percent of its rebounds, 77 percent of its assists, 77 percent of its minutes and 75 percent of its points from last year’s squad.
• Devontae Blanton is the only returning starter from last season’s team
• EKU made a season-high 17 three-pointers in the win over Eastern Illinois (Dec. 14). The Colonels were 17-of-38 for 44.7 percent. The Colonels handed out 21 assists on 28 made baskets against Eastern Illinois (Dec. 14).
• Jordan Crawford’s 3-pointer from the right wing with 1:47 left in the opening period put the Colonelsahead 34-32 at Pittsburgh (Dec. 11). The Colonels pulled down 15 off ensive rebounds at Pitt (Dec. 11) and out-scored the Panthers 18-8 on second-chance points.
• Pittsburgh limited the Colonels to just 56 points on Dec. 11, just the 10th time in A.W. Hamilton’s first 202 games as the head coach that his team has been held to less than 60 points in a game. Conversely, EKU had scored 80 or more 85 times during the Hamilton tenure at that point.
• The Colonels shot 56 percent from the fi eld (19-of34) and 44 percent (7-of-16) from 3-point range in the first half against Southern Illinois (Nov. 26).
• EKU held Southern Illinois (Nov. 26) to an 0-for-6 from the field and forced nine turnovers in the first eight and a half minutes. The Salukis’ first shot from the floor didn’t fall until the 11:34 mark. SIU started 1-for-12 from the field.
• The Colonels handed out 25 assists on 35 made baskets at Chicago State (Nov. 19). George Kimble III led the way with nine helpers.
• The Colonels held Clemson to 29 percent shooting from 3-point range (7-for-24) and 14.5 points below its season average. The Tigers came into the game having hit on 48 percent from deep and averaging 89.5 points. Clemson finished with what was then a season-low 75 points.

(Photo of J'Vonne Hadley: Jamie Rhodes - Imagn Images)

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