Former No. 1 Louisville resumes ACC play on Saturday having lost two of its last four games after the Cardinals fell 78-70 at Kentucky in overtime last week. They also lost to Texas Tech inside Madison Square Garden earlier in December.
Meanwhile, Florida State will enter the KFC Yum! Center having won five games in a row.
Louisville is 9-0 at home this season, including wins over Michigan and Pittsburgh, while Florida State is 1-2 on the road.
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Here's everything you need to know about the matchup.
Louisville vs. Florida State: Time, TV channel
No. 7 Louisville will host No. 18 Florida State on Saturday, January 4 in a game that tips off at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be aired on ESPN2 and can be streamed on any ESPN platform.
Louisville vs. Florida State: Preview
The Seminoles visit Louisville to face a team that had an entire week off after losing to its rival on the road in overtime, something that won't make for a desirable road atmosphere. But Florida State has more road experience already this season than many top teams, having opened its 2019-20 campaign with games at Pitt and Florida, then traveling to Indiana in December.
The Cardinals have handled respectable competition – Michigan (No. 16 NET) and Pittsburgh (No. 74 NET) – with ease to the tune of 15 and 18-point wins, respectively. Their strength comes on defense, where they rank No. 5 nationally in terms of efficiency, and with the No. 12 offense, the Cards are strong on both ends.
Led by junior forward Jordan Nwora (20.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game) and a veteran core, Louisville ranks in the top 50 in offensive 3-point and 2-point percentage, and in the top 20 in defensive 3-point and 2-point percentage.
Florida State, which is perennially one of the tallest and deepest teams in the country, is no different this season.
TV SCHEDULE: View the full TV schedule for this week's games
The Seminoles, who boast the tallest average height in the country at 6-7, have a bench unit that plays roughly 38 percent of the team's minutes – one of the 50 highest percentages in the country. Sophomore guard Devin Vassell (11.8 points per game) is the team's leading scorer and one of three players who average double-digits in points per game. Four other players average between six and seven points per game, which shows Florida State's trademark depth.
The Seminoles harass opponents on defense as they rank in the top five nationally in steal percentage and block percentage. They're an average 3-point shooting team but their offense ranks in the top 40 in efficiency thanks to their 53.8 percent shooting percentage inside the arc, 76.3 percent free-throw shooting and above-average offensive rebounding, which gives them second-chance opportunities.
If both teams play up to their potential defensively, points may be at a premium in Louisville.
Louisville vs. Florida State: Prediction
Louisville 73, Florida State 68
