Louisville vs West Virginia: 2024-25 Battle 4 Atlantis game preview, TV schedule
Either West Virginia or Louisville will be playing in the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament finals after big upset results.
TV schedule: Thursday, noon, ET. ESPN
Arena: Imperial Arena in Nassau Bahamas
The beauty of Feast Week is the amount of surprises that can occur between ranked teams and those looking for a big win. Gonzaga was a big favorite over West Virginia and was up by eight points at the midway point. However, the Mountaineers not only came back but forced overtime in what ended up being a back-and-forth thriller.
In the end, West Virginia got the big win over the No. 3 team in the country, 86-78 (OT). OK State transfer Javon Small had 31 points and seven rebounds, while big man Amani Hansberry (19 pts) and forward Tucker DeVries (16 pts) also played big parts in the win.
Another surprise in the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament was what happened between Louisville and Indiana. On paper, this was supposed to be an even matchup. However, the Cardinals led the entire way, leading by nine points at halftime. A 52-point second-half effect where they shot 67% (57% for the game), Louisville coasted to an 89-61 win.
Seven players had at least eight points, with Noah Waterman and Chucky Hepburn each scoring 16 points. Hepburn also chipped in with 10 assists. They shot just 10/27 from deep, so this performance indicated that they don’t need the three-ball to beat high-major teams.
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This surprise matchup is about Louisville’s depth against West Virginia’s key trio. Individually, Hepburn vs Small at point guard will go a long way in deciding who wins this. It’s a game between rebuilding programs that can make the finals of one of the top MTEs of Feast Week. Look for the depth advantage of the Cardinals to play out here, even with a spirited fight from the Mountaineers.
Prediction: Louisville 74, West Virginia 70