The University of Louisville will tip off Friday night at the KFC Yum! Center vs. the Vermont Catamounts. Vermont is 2-1 on the season with a 78-72 win over Boston University and a blistering 122-56 victory over Lyndon State College -VT (DIII). The Catamounts did fall 84-68 to #2 Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse and it was a 9-point game with 5:51 remaining before the Jayhawks pulled away for the W.
The Cards will be facing a team that doesn’t foul and doesn’t turn the ball over. So fans expecting to see some flow in a basketball game might finally be rewarded after two foul plagued games for UofL in 2018-19.
Vermont will shoot a high quantity of 3-pointers and will be the 1st true test of how the Cards will defend a quality power forward in the 4 out/1 in line-up that Chris Mack has brought to Louisville. Anthony Lamb is 6-6, 227 and is the main piece for Vermont.
Curiously Vermont is led by trio brothers from Evansville, IN at the guard spots Everett, Ernie & Robin Duncan. Robin (freshman) comes off the bench for the Catamounts with Everett & Ernie getting the start. Coach Mack briefly played for Evansville University before transferring to Xavier and was acutely aware of the Duncan brothers. Expect to see a decent contingent of Green at the Yum! as this is the closest the Everett & Ernie will play to Evansville in their final year of eligibility at Vermont.
Ra Kpedi hails from Indianapolis, IN and Josh Speidel is from Columbus, IN to add to the regional interest.
Louisville needs to win this game. Vermont is not going to be intimidated by the atmosphere and they’ll have a spattering of support in the arena from friends and family. Will the Cards be able to make shots in a game where they won’t get to the line for 30+ FTs? If UofL defends well and rebounds they should be able to put this game away with a modest night on offense but Vermont is certainly the toughest test to date and how the Cards match-up with Anthony Lamb remains the biggest mystery.
| Louisville | Vermont | |
| Strength of Schedule (Ken Pom) | 346th | 16th |
| PPG | 94.5 (11th) | 73.0 (175th) |
| Avg Scoring Margin | 31.5 (10th) | -5.0 (207th) |
| Field Goal % | 53.7% (21st) | 43.1% (184th) |
| Effective FG% | 61.1% (23rd) | 50.4% (167th) |
| 2-pt FG % | 67.3% (8th) | 54.1% (101st) |
| 3-pt FG % | 35.0% (145th) | 30.9% (226th) |
| FT % | 77.7% (37th) | 74.4% (72nd) |
| FT Attempted Per Game | 47.0 (2nd) | 19.5 (193rd) |
| Opp FT Attempted Per Game | 20.0 (164th) | 12.5 (26th) |
| Rebound Rate | 63.8% (4th) | 46.0% (250th) |
| Blocks Per Game | 3.5 (166th) | 3.5 (166th) |
| Steals Per Game | 6.0 (174th) | 4.0 (283rd) |
| Assists Per Game | 12.5 (187th) | 12.5 (187th) |
| Turnovers Per Game | 13.0 (124th) | 9.5 (37th) |
| Opp Turnovers Per Game | 17.5 (45th) | 12.0 (231st) |
| Team Fouls Per Game | 19.0 (156th) | 14.5 (26th) |
| Opp Team Fouls Per Game | 30.5 (3rd) | 18.5 (223rd) |
| Opp Shooting % | 37.8% (60th) | 48.4% (265th) |
| Opp Effective FG% | 44.6% (78th) | 55.2% (265th) |
| Opp 2-pt FG % | 38.6% (29th) | 48.9% (161st) |
| Opp 3-Pt FG % | 36.6% (236th) | 47.2% (340th) |
| Opp Blocks Per Game | 1.0 (20th) | 1.0 (20th) |
| Opp Steals Per Game | 3.5 (33rd) | 4.5 (66th) |
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