Three weeks ago the University of Louisville men’s basketball team let one get away at North Carolina.
The Cardinals lost a 13-point lead over the final 8 ½ minutes - and the game, 72-71, thanks to Marcus Paige’s high-banking layup with 8.5 seconds left Jan. 10 in Chapel Hill, N.C.
UofL will seek redemption for that defeat Saturday. That’s when the Cards (17-3, 5-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference), who are ranked No. 9 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 10 in The Associated Press Top 25, host AP No. 13/USA Today No. 14 UNC (17-4, 7-1) at 4 p.m. at the KFC Yum! Center. The game will be a “White Out,” with all fans encouraged to wear white attire.
“We just let it go and slip away from us,” sophomore guard Terry Rozier, who had 25 points in that aforementioned loss, said at a press conference Friday. “We just want to have the same mindset. We just have to pull it out this time.”
The Cards, who are fourth in the ACC (one place behind the Tar Heels), will have their work cut out for them. North Carolina, which started the season 6-3 with losses to Butler, Iowa and at No. 1 Kentucky, has won 11 of its last 12 games, including its last six in a row - beginning with the win over UofL.
“Carolina’s playing much better than the first time we played them,” UofL coach Rick Pitino said at Friday’s pre-game presser. “They’re on a winning streak. They’re playing with more scoring, more confidence and they’re better than the last time we faced them, so we have to be better.”
The Tar Heels are led by Paige (14.1 ppg, 4.2 apg), the 6-foot-1 point guard, who was the preseason ACC Player of the Year. Aiding him are 6-9 sophomore forward Kennedy Meeks (13 ppg, 8.3 rpg), 6-9 junior forward Brice Johnson (12.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg), 6-8 freshman wing Justin Jackson (10 ppg, 3.4 rpg) and 6-5 junior forward J.P. Tokoto (9 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 4.1 apg).
While a victory would help keep the Cards near the top of the conference standings, it would also help them build their resume for the NCAA Tournament.
Photo courtesy University of Louisville Men’s Basketball Facebook Page
