Orange Face Cardinals In Road Rematch

Game Details: Saturday, Mar. 2, Louisville, Ky., 8 p.m.
TV: ACC Network
Radio: Listen Live
Live Coverage: Stats
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Syracuse (19-10, 10-8 ACC) looks to win its fourth straight contest and sweep the home-and-home series with Louisville (8-20, 3-14) on Saturday, March 2 at 8 p.m. in the KFC Yum! Center.

SETTING THE STAGE
The Orange finished their February slate with a 5-3 record, including victories in each of their last three outings.

The Cardinals have dropped their last four contests, most recently at Duke, 84-59, last Wednesday.

THE SYRACUSE-LOUISVILLE SERIES
Saturday will be the 33^rd meeting on the hardwood for Syracuse and Louisville. The Cardinals own a 19-13 advantage in the all-time series. After Saturday's affair, Louisville will move above Miami as the fourth most frequent ACC opponent for the Orange. Syracuse has won the last three matchups against Louisville, including a February 7 pairing, 94-92. The Cardinals last defeated the Orange, 90-66, on Feb. 19, 2020.

LAST TIME OUT
In the regular-season home finale, sophomore guard Judah Mintz scored 29 points and led the Orange to an 84-71 victory against the Hokies. Mintz went 10-of-17 from the field and converted all eight of his attempts from the foul line. He added six assists, three steals and three rebounds. His backcourt partner, sophomore J.J. Starling (13 points), and Maliq Brown (12), a sophomore center, and swingman Quadir Copeland (12), another classmate, each produced double-figure scoring efforts. Syracuse finished the regular season with a 14-2 record at home, its most wins in the Dome since the 2017-18 season, when the Orange ended the campaign with a14-5 home record.

ORANGE LEADERS
Mintz is second in the ACC in points per game this season with 18.6 per contest. He ranks among the top 10 of Division I in free throws made (eighth, 189) and attempted (fourth, 245). He currently sits at fourth in Syracuse history for free throws made in a season. Mintz and Starling are the second highest backcourt scoring pair in the ACC, combining for 32.31 points per game.

Starling (13.7 ppg.) and Bell (11.8) round out the Orange performers averaging double-digit scoring this season. Brown and Copeland each average 9.4 points per game this season. Brown leads the squad with 6.8 rebounds per contest.

Syracuse paces the ACC in steal average with 9.4 per contest. Brown (2.21) ranks first in the conference in steals per game, followed by Mintz (2.14) at second place and Copeland (1.54) in ninth.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
The Cardinals have four players who have played in over 85 percent of games and averaged double-figure scoring this season: sophomore guards Skyy Clark (13.2 ppg.) and Tre White (13.1), sophomore forward Mike James (12.9) and junior forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (12.4). Huntley-Hatfield averages a squad-best 8.5 rebounds per outing and ranks sixth in the conference in double-doubles with seven.

Louisville is ranked second in the ACC in free throws attempted (22.9) and made (17.0) per game. James is a large contributor to that as he ranks third and fourth in free throw attempts and makes, respectively.

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Players Mentioned

J.J. Starling

Syracuse University Athletics