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Game day central: Louisville basketball looks to stay hot vs. Georgia Tech

By Presley Meyer

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - OCTOBER 29: Samuell Williamson #10 of the Louisville Cardinals dribbles the ball against the Bellarmine Knights during an exhibition game at KFC YUM! Center on October 29, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - OCTOBER 29: Samuell Williamson #10 of the Louisville Cardinals dribbles the ball against the Bellarmine Knights during an exhibition game at KFC YUM! Center on October 29, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 19: Malik Williams #5 of the Louisville Cardinals goes for a loose ball against James Banks III #1 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Hank McCamish Pavilion on January 19, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 19: Malik Williams #5 of the Louisville Cardinals goes for a loose ball against James Banks III #1 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Hank McCamish Pavilion on January 19, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images) /

Players to watch

David Johnson

The Louisville basketball hype train is stream rolling ahead fueled by dynamic freshman David Johnson’s unexpected performances in the Cardinals’ last two games.

At Pitt, Johnson changed the entire dynamic of the game and provided a serious challenge down the stretch as he matched the size, athleticism, and intensity of the Panthers guards.

That carried over on Saturday at Duke, where Johnson had his break out performance in a primetime showcase against the Blue Devils. He was sensational, scoring 17 points in the first half and completely opening up a world of possibilities for the Cardinals on both ends of the floor.

Now that he is finally healthy (save a hard fall that took him out for the final moments in Cameron Indoor) and finally getting the minutes many fans believed he warranted, Johnson is more than living up to the hype.

We’ve said all year that Louisville is a really solid team with their veterans that propelled them forward last year, but if Johnson and fellow freshman Samuell Williamson (who was quietly sensational in the waning moments this weekend) continue on the trajectory they have been on, the Cardinals are not just a championship contender, but one of the favorites.

James Banks III

If the Cardinals want to ease their worries of mid-game slumps, their best bet is going to be shutting down Georgia Tech forward James Banks III.

Banks is not the Jacket’s most talked-about player, but he is perhaps their best.

Last season, on the road, Louisville got out to a 39-10 lead, and a 43-16 lead at halftime and cruised to their easiest conference win of the season. However, that didn’t deter Banks from notching 24 of his team’s 51 points.

Now a fifth-year senior after transferring from Texas two years ago, Banks is a do-it-all guy for his squad. He is the team’s second-leading rebounder, a multi-faceted scorer, and a solid defender.

Banks has stepped up his play in his team’s most significant games, scoring 20 at NC State, 20 against Arkansas, and adding 14 points and 15 rebounds against Duke.

He has quietly become one of the better players that nobody is talking about in the ACC, and is one player to watch if you’re a Louisville fan on Wednesday.

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