FSU vs. Louisville: Game thread, how to watch, notes, odds

Feb 4, 2023 - 5:30 PM

The Florida State Seminoles started the month of February with a “burn the tape” road game against the NC State Wolfpack. After falling to NC State by 28 points, the Noles head to Louisville, Kentucky to face the Cardinals. UL might be the only team in the ACC looking up at the Seminoles this season, standing at 3-19 on the year, with a 1-10 conference record.

FSU is riding a three-game losing streak, while the Cardinals picked up their first ACC victory in their matchup against Georgia Tech. Before their bout against the Yellow Jackets, Louisville had lost 10 straight games. They haven’t been able to beat a superior opponent, by record or statistics, aside from Western Kentucky.

Louisville traveled to Tallahassee earlier this season to play the first game of the series between the Seminoles. Despite a drastic drought from the Noles, losing five straight prior to their match against UL, they were able to dominate the Cardinals 75-53.

The Noles are likely the favorite yet again, having sizable advantages over Louisville that were highlighted in their previous game. UL shot 35.1% from the field, with 16 turnovers and just four free throws made. They were outrebounded and simply outperformed on nearly every statistical category.

According to DraftKings, the Seminoles are favorited by 5.5 points, with the over/under set at 143.

Here’s a look at game details from FSU’s sports information department:

SEMINOLES BACK ON THE ROAD TO FACE LOUISVILLE AT KFC YUM! CENTER ON SATURDAY

Florida State, which has won a series-record six consecutive games against Louisville, travels to play the Cardinals at the KFC YUM! Center in Louisville on Saturday, February 4, 2023, in the second meeting of the season between the two teams. The Seminoles defeated the Cardinals, 73-55, in Tallahassee on December 2, 2022. The Seminoles have found success on the road in ACC play this season wins at Notre Dame (January 17, 84-71) and at Pittsburgh (January 21, 71-64) and average four ACC road wins in each of their past five seasons. Following Saturday’s game at Louisville, the Seminoles return to Tallahassee and the Donald L. Tucker Center for two straight home game against Syracuse (February 8, 7:00 p.m.) and Pittsburgh (February 11, 12 Noon).

HAMILTON ON NAISMITH HALL OF FAME BALLOT

Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton, the fifth all-time winningest coach in ACC history, is on the 2023 ballot for enshrinement into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

CLEVELAND’S DOUBLE-FIGURE SCORING STREAK REACHES 16 GAMES; SECOND LONGEST IN ACC

All-ACC candidate Matthew Cleveland scored 12 points against NC State on Wednesday, and enters Saturday’s game at Louisville having scored in double figures in a career-best 16 consecutive games. He is averaging 15.3 points scored per game since totaling 17 points against Nebraska on November 27 in the final game of the 2022 ESPN Events Invitational. Cleveland’s current double-figure is currently the second longest double-figure scoring streak among all ACC Players. His double-figure scoring streak is the longest by a Seminole since Dwayne Bacon scored in double figures in the first 26 games of the 2016-17 season.

GREEN MAKING A MOVE INTO FLORIDA STATE’S SINGLE-SEASON TOP-10 FOR 3-POINT SHOTS MADE

Darin Green Jr. enters Saturday’s game at Louisville with 69 3-point shots made in his first season as a Seminole. He needs just three made 3-point field goals to move into Florida State’s single-season top-10. Three Seminoles – Pee Wee Barber (1986-87), George McCloud (1987-88) and James Collins (1994-95) are tied for eighth in Florida State history with 72 3-point shots made in a single season.

LOOK FOR FLORIDA STATE TO...

...Defeat Louisville and win the season series against the Cardinals for the second time since the 2020 season when the Seminoles won at both Louisville (January 4, 2020, 78-65) and at Tallahassee (February 24, 2020). The Seminoles and the Cardinals met just once each during the 2021 and 2022 seasons;

...Defeat Louisville and win its seventh consecutive game against the Cardinals. The Seminoles have won each of the games between the two teams since n 80-75 overtime victory on February 9, 2019, in Tallahassee. Florida State’s current seven game winning-streak against Louisville is their longest in the series that began on December 16, 1968, in Louisville;

...Defeat Louisville and win its fourth consecutive game on the road in Louisville against the Cardinals. The Seminoles gained wins at the KFC YUM! Center on February 3, 2018 (80-76), January 4, 2020 (78-65) and January 18, 2021 (78-65) in the last three road games against Louisville;

...Defeat Louisville and win its eighth consecutive regular season game against the Cardinals. The Seminoles defeated the Cardinals, in Louisville on February 3, 2018 (80-76), before falling to Louisville in the 2018 ACC Tournament (March 7, 2018, 82-74).