Louisville basketball is on the road for its first true road game this week, as the No. 6 Cardinals travel to Fayetteville to take on the No. 25 Arkansas Razorbacks. Pat Kelsey will get a shot to take down Louisville's old rival in John Calipari at Bud Walton Arena tomorrow night in a thrilling ACC/SEC matchup.
Both teams had high expectations entering this season, as they are led by elite backcourts filled with 4-stars and 5-stars. This is one of the most anticipated matchups of the week and of the month. With Arkansas already dropping two games to Michigan State and Duke, they are up against the wall early, trying to make a statement.
As for Louisville, Kelsey made it clear this morning in his press conference that this is one of the most talented teams in the nation, and that their backcourt will pose a challenge. The Cardinals would like to go on the road in early December, earn a marquee victory, and try to claim that they are a top-five team in the nation.
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Louisville basketball set to face 'one of the most talented teams' in the nation
Arkansas is currently 5-2, but Kelsey is letting the Cardinals fans know that this team is one of the best in the nation. They play fast, are athletic, and have an elite backcourt, just like Louisville. When looking ahead to the game, Kelsey doesn't shy away from letting his emotions out, and he tells the fans he is just as excited for this December clash as the fans are.
"We are really excited about the opportunity going against one of the most talented teams in the country," Kelsey stated in his press conference this morning. "The floor really tilts when they get the ball. I mean, it goes downhill. They have a lot of very talented players all across their roster, both in their frontcourt and in their backcourt. They are obviously well coached as well."
The Razorbacks have one of the best backcourts in the nation, led by two true freshmen, Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas. These two 5-star recruits ranked inside 247Sports' top 12, with Acuff ranking No. 5 in the nation and the No. 1 point guard, and Thomas ranking No. 12 in the country and the No. 2 shooting guard. They had plenty of hype leading up to the season and have backed it up, leading the Razorbacks in scoring. The Razorbacks' two freshmen each average just over 17 points per game, and each shoots over 41 percent from the field.
The Cards are going to have their hands full with trying to slow this backcourt down, but Louisville fans know their backcourt is just as good, and if not better. The Cards are led by their own 5-star point guard, Mikel Brown Jr., and by elite veterans Ryan Conwell and Isaac McKneely. Conwell leads Louisville in scoring as he averages 20.1 points per game, with Brown right behind, averaging 17.0 points, 6.0 assists, and both shooting over 40 percent from the field.
This showdown is going to feature two of the best backcourts in the nation and is going to be a tough challenge on the road for this gritty Cardinals squad. Kelsey has this fanbase all-in on the Louisville team, and hearing him say they are 'really excited' for this massive road test has the fans counting down the hours until tip-off.
The nation will want to tune in for this game, as this backcourt duel is going to be fun to watch and will also feature many future NBA stars. The Cardinals and the Razorbacks will tip off on December 3 at 7:15 p.m. local time.