Louisville basketball vs. Virginia Tech gameday primer
Louisville basketball is set to take on No. 19 Virginia Tech in an ACC showdown Wednesday evening.
Louisville basketball continues forward amidst Covid chaos all around them in the college basketball landscape.
This time, they will be tasked with taking on the Hokies of Virginia Tech on Wednesday evening. The Cardinals are coming off of a victory over Boston College on Saturday in a performance that was a good stepping off point for Louisville’s momentum.
Virginia Tech most recently defeated Miami in a closely matched game 80-78. The Hokies boast a very versatile team with a number of athletes, shooters, and technicians scattered across the board that will give other teams fits. They are a true top-tier ACC contender.
Let’s talk about the matchup between Louisville and Virginia Tech.
Who: Virginia Tech Hokies (8-1) at Louisville Cardinals (7-1)
Where: KFC Yum! Center; Louisville, Kentucky
When: Wednesday, Jan. 6, at 6:30 pm eastern time.
Spread: Louisville -4.0
TV: ACC Network
Projected starting lineups (via gocards.com)
Louisville Cardinals (7-1, 2-0)
F 10 Samuell Williamson 6-7 210 So. Rockwall, Texas
F 14 Dre Davis 6-5 220 Fr. Indianapolis, Ind.
C 24 Jae’Lyn Withers 6-8 215 R-Fr. Charlotte, N.C.
G 1 Carlik Jones 6-2 185 Gr. Cincinnati, Ohio
G 13 David Johnson 6-5 210 So. Louisville, Ky.
Virginia Tech Hokies (8-1, 2-0)
F 22 Keve Aluma 6-9 235 R-Jr. Berlin, Md.
F 25 Justyn Mutts 6-7 230 R-Jr. Millville, N.J.
G 3 Wabissa Bede 6-1 195 Gr. North Andover, Mass.
G 4 Naheim Alleyne 6-4 195 So. Buford, Ga.
G 23 Tyrece Radford 6-2 200 R-So. Baton Rouge, La.
Important links
Players to watch for Louisville
Carlik Jones – He has felt off on the offensive end of the floor the last few games shooting just 13-for-41 in his last three performances. Jones is extraordinarily talented on the offensively. It should not be long until he once again finds his groove and starts to keep pace with David Johnson (who has been on a wicked tear).
Josh Nickelberry – Nickelberry had a very nice sequence in the first half against Boston College where he drained a three and drew a charge on the defensive end within a short tie of each other. It feels like he could have a huge shooting performance at any time now.
Samuell Williamson – Williamson started off last game 1-for-6 from the floor before finishing 5-for-10. He is a very talented player that had been clearly struggling with confidence. Perhaps his stretch at the end of Louisville’s last game could spark him on Wednesday against Virginia Tech.
Final thoughts
This is not a typical Virginia Tech team that lacks depth and talent at all five positions. The Hokies can play with (and beat) anyone in the ACC at any given time. They are dangerous offensively and stopping all of their playmakers will be a tall task for Louisville.
The Cardinals will need dazzling performances from both David Johnson and Carlik Jones in this game if they hope to win. Jones, as stated previous, has been struggling with his field goal percentage recently while Johnson seems to have secured his footing that he had towards the end of ACC play last season.
Who Louisville’s third and fourth scorers in this game will be is a huge question mark from game-to-game. Williamson should be that third guy, but even he has had his share of troubles recently. Dre Davis has been hot and cold as well. Keep an eye on this throughout the game Wednesday.
Score prediction
Louisville 72, Virginia Tech 77
The Hokies are doggone good. They are not just the products of an easy non-conference schedule that has inflated them to an 8-1 record. They have beaten teams like Villanova and a very good Clemson team already this year.
It is certainly a game that is in reach for Louisville, but the level of play for the Cardinals just does not seem up to par with where Virginia Tech’s is as of right now. Behind David Johnson and Carlik Jones, Louisville needs some players to consistently emerge.