Louisville Basketball: Previewing 2020 Wade Houston Tipoff Classic

LOUISVILLE, KY - FEBRUARY 05: A general view of the opening tip off during a game between the Louisville Cardinals and Wake Forest Demon Deacons at KFC YUM! Center on February 5, 2020 in Louisville, Kentucky. Louisville defeated Wake Forest 86-76. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

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Louisville Basketball (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images) /

Louisville

2019-20 record: 24-7 overall, 15-5 ACC
2019-20 KenPom rating: 9
2020-21 KenPom rating: 14
- Schedule:
  - Nov. 25 vs. Southern Illinois
  - Nov. 27 vs. Seton Hall
  - Nov. 29 vs. Prairie View A&M
  - Dec. 1 vs. Western Kentucky
  - Dec. 4 vs. UNC Greensboro

There is not really much to say about the Cardinals that is not already known – this is a fringe top-25 squad, the host of this event, and, on paper, the best team in the classic.

This season marks year three for Chris Mack, who has done well navigating Louisville out of the Rick Pitino debacle. Last year’s showing, obviously, has been the best yet for Mack, who led the Cardinals to the number-one spot in the AP poll in early December before losses to Texas Tech, Kentucky, and Florida State placed them outside the top ten.

Louisville’s season was interesting, to say the least. A ten-game win streak across January and February featured games they barely won – a three-point win over Notre Dame, an overtime victory at Pittsburgh, a four-point edge over Georgia Tech – and huge triumphs over Duke and Virginia.

The Cardinals skidded a bit to end the season, going 3-4 after that ten-game win streak, but they still finished the season ranked 15th in the AP poll.

Now, the Cardinals will have a new identity heading into the new season. The top four scorers from last year – Jordan Nwora, Steven Enoch, Dwayne Sutton, and Ryan McMahon – are all gone. Malik Williams is the top returning leading scorer at 8.5 points per game. Additionally, JUCO star Jay Scrubb has opted to go pro rather than join the program.

Much of Louisville’s success this year will depend on the implementation of graduate transfers Charles Minlend and Carlik Jones, as well as the development and potential breakthrough of former five-star wing Samuell Williamson.

Minlend comes to Louisville after three-straight double-digit seasons at the University of San Francisco, the most recent being a 14.4 ppg display. Jones, meanwhile, averaged 20 points a game last year at Radford.

Mack will need both to step in and produce immediately – as well as Williamson – in order to escape the MTE without a loss. Nov. 27’s game against Seton Hall is obviously the headliner here, and should be a challenge for the Cardinals, but they should also have their hands full with Western Kentucky and UNC Greensboro.

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