The Cards will be in Memphis on Saturday to play the second game in a conference rivalry that historically is considered to be one of the better hardwood feuds in NCAA basketball. The series began in 1948-49, but heated up when the two programs became league rivals in 1967-68 as members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The two schools have played each other as members of the Missouri Valley Conference (1968-73), Metro Conference (1976-91), Conference USA (1996-2005), and now the AAC. The Cardinals and Tigers will do battle for the 89th time on Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals lead this series 53-35, but it was the Tigers who came into the Yum Center earlier in the season and got the win 73-67. The Tigers are looking to bounce back Saturday after suffering a 77-68 setback at Houston Feb. 27 and having won seven of their last 10 games. The Cards come into this after a blowout win against Temple have won 7 games straight. Our Cardinals are a perfect 7-0 in road games in American Athletic Conference play.

The Tigers could pose a big threat to Louisville winning the AAC title regular season title. If the last meeting was any indication, this one should be fun to watch. Josh Pastner has his best team in his five seasons as head coach. Their deep, veteran backcourt is among the best in the AAC, and the country. Memphis returns a perimeter game that can compete with any team in the country with Joe Jackson (14.4pts, 3.6rpg, 4.7apg), Geron Johnson (9pts, 5.1rpg, 3.8apg), and Chris Crawford (8.8pts, 4.0rpg, 3.0apg). Crawford and Jackson are the first teammates to have 1,000 points and 400 assists for a career. While emerging low-post force Shaq Goodwin (12.6pts, 6.5rpg, 1.6apg) and freshman sensation Austin Nichols (8.7pts, 4.1rpg, 0.4apg) are controlling both the defensive paint and the boards. Since playing them last time Michael Dixon Jr. has also emerged as a offensive threat with (11.8pts, 2.3rpg, 2.5apg).

Memphis has a solid group of athletes and they pose a threat at every position on the floor. Saturday’s game features a battle between top-30 ranked teams in terms of the nation’s top scoring offenses. In the latest NCAA rankings released Feb. 24, Memphis is No. 26 in the nation in scoring offense and Louisville is No. 12. The Tigers are second in the American Athletic Conference with a 78.8 scoring average. Our Cardinals lead The American with an 82.3 scoring average.

Memphis comes into Saturdays game averaging 78.8 points-per-game, while shooting 48.6% from the floor and 33.1% from 3-point range. The Tigers are converting 65.4% of its attempts from the free-throw line. Defensively, Memphis is allowing 70 points-per-game as the opposition is shooting 43% from the floor. The Tigers are out-rebounding their opponents 1066-980 with a rebounding margin of +3.1 averaging 38.1 boards-per-contest.

Memphis
2013-14 OVERALL RANKINGS
-POINTS PER GAME
78.7
30th
OVERALL
-REBOUNDS PER GAME
38.1
40th
OVERALL
-ASSISTS PER GAME
17.8
3rd
OVERALL
-FIELD GOAL PCT
.486
18th
OVERALL

Kenpom Ranks
Overall – #45
Defense Adjustment Efficiency
– 97.5 ranks 51st
Offensive Adjustment Efficiency
– 110.5 ranks 67th

Here we are again Cardinal fans another Saturday, and another big road game in a hostile environment against a very old rival. This one will be a stiff test for our Cardinals and they will have to be much more effective in every aspect of the game than they were last weekend against Cincy. Where their offense was created by just one guy this Memphis team has playmakers all over the court and a few on the bench. Russ leads four Cardinals averaging double figures in the scoring column at 17.7 ppg (third in The American). Montrezl (13.3 ppg), Luke (11.7 ppg) and Chris Jones (10.1 ppg) also average double digits for Louisville. We will need these guys to show up and then some today. I think the X-factor for us could be the much improved play of Mango and VanTreese since the last match-up, and Terry Rozier. Wayne could also come out of no where and be the difference maker.

I’m confident but also very nervous about this one. It will truly tell us where our Cardinals are in terms of their threat to make a deep run in the next few weeks. This game is going to test them at every facet of the game, including their poise as that crowd is going to be down right nasty. I really want this one Cardinal Fans. Stroke those beards and cheer hard. Go Cards!