Louisville (4-25, 2-16 ACC)
vs. Virginia Tech (16-13, 6-12 ACC)
February 28, 2023
KFC Yum! Center
9 p.m. ET
ACC Network
Virginia Tech Sports Network
BLACKSBURG – After facing three of the ACC's top five teams in its last trio of outings, Virginia Tech sets it sights on Louisville for a Tuesday night matchup. Roy Philpott and Perry Clark will be on the call at 9 p.m. for the ACC Network, while Zach Mackey and Mike Burnop will provide coverage for the Virginia Tech Sports Network.
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SCOUTING THE CARDINALS
- Louisville has lost two straight on the road, most recently a 83-67 defeat to Georgia Tech last Saturday.
- Senior guard El Ellis is averaging 23.6 points over the last five games, including a 40% clip from beyond the arc.
- The Cardinals are led by first-year head coach Kenny Payne, who won a national championship as a player with Louisville in 1986.
The Series
- The Hokies snapped Louisville's 17-game winning streak in the series last season, 75-43, in Blacksburg. It was the most lopsided win by VT in series history.
- UofL still leads 36-9 in a series dating back to Jan. 28, 1979.
- Tech's last road win in the series came on Jan. 30, 1991 (86-79).
- The Hokies are 1-8 against the Cards as ACC foes.
- Tech has a 3-19 record against UofL in Louisville and has dropped nine straight in the series on the road. The Cards edged Tech, 73-71, in their last matchup at the KFC Yum! Center.
HOKIE HEADLINES
- Grant Basile has scored double figures in 13 straight games. He has broken the 20-point mark in six of the last 10 contests. Over the last 10 games, Basile is averaging 21.7 ppg.
- Basile (eighth) and Sean Pedulla (16th) give the Hokies two of the top 16 scorers in the ACC.
- Hunter Cattoor is first in the league in 3FG% at 43.2% (64-148).
- Every Hokie who played Saturday at Duke scored – marking the first time that's happened this season. Led by Rodney Rice's 11 points, Tech's bench generated 19 points (two off its season high).
RODNEY RICE provides a spark
- Freshman guard Rodney Rice had a breakout game at Duke on Saturday, going for a season-high 11 points on 3 for 5 shooting from beyond the arc.
- Coach Young had this to say about Rice postgame at Duke: "He's really good. He's a very good basketball player. That was his third game as a college player. ... And every rep he gets is going to be beneficial for us as we move along."
- Rice made his season debut at Syracuse on Jan. 11, playing 29 minutes after recovering from ankle surgery in August. He then broke his pinky at the end of Tech's Jan. 14 practice, missing the next 5.5 weeks.
UP NEXT
- Virginia Tech wraps up the regular season at home on Saturday with a 4 p.m. meeting against Florida State. The game will serve as Senior Day for Grant Basile, Hunter Cattoor, Justyn Mutts and three managers.