Louisville Cardinals (2-0) at Memphis Tigers (2-1)
Game Time: 1 p.m.
Location: FedExForum
Television: ESPN
Announcers: John Schriffen (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (analysis)
Officials: TBA
Favorite: Louisville by 8.5
Series: Louisville leads, 55-36
Last Meeting: Louisville won 99-73 on Dec. 13, 2025 in Louisville
Series History:
Projected Starting Lineups:
Louisville
- G Jackson Shelstad (6-1, 185, Sr.)
- G Adrian Wooley (6-4, 205, Jr.)
- G Seth Trimble (6-3, 200, 5th)
- F Alvaro Folgueiras (6-10, 230, Sr.)
- F Flory Bidunga (6-9, 235, Jr.)
Memphis
- G Jayden Reid (5-10, 175, Sr.)
- G Luke Almodvar (6-3, 195, Sr.)
- F Rihards Vavers (6-7, 205, Sr.)
- F Tylik Weeks (6-7, 225, Sr.)
- F Maxim Logue (6-9, 232, Jr.)
Statistics:
Memphis’ Season to Date:
Relevant Videos:
About Memphis:
Memphis enters Sunday’s matchup with
a 2-1 record and already has one of the more interesting résumés in college basketball. The Tigers opened the season with an 80-76 upset of No. 18 Iowa State, followed that up with an 89-88 victory over VCU, and then got thoroughly handled by No. 22 Vanderbilt in a 105-81 loss on Tuesday. Head coach Penny Hardaway is in his ninth season in Memphis and has assembled a roster featuring 13 newcomers, including nine Division I transfers.
The headliner for the Tigers has been senior point guard Jayden Reid, who transferred from Northwestern after spending two seasons at South Florida. Reid has been spectacular through three games, averaging 23 points, four assists and two steals per contest. He poured in 32 points against VCU and earned AP National Player of the Week honors for his efforts. At just 5’10, Reid isn’t going to overwhelm anybody physically, but his ability to create offense and get to the free-throw line makes him a difficult matchup.
Memphis has plenty of other experienced pieces capable of making an impact. Senior guard Luke Almodovar is averaging 15.3 points per game and has already provided one of the early highlights of the season with a highlight reel dunk against Iowa State to beat the first half buzzer. He suffered a nasty fall in the second half of Tuesday night’s game at Vandy, but is expected to play against the Cards.
Senior forward Tylik Weeks is the team’s top frontcourt performer, contributing 13.3 points per game. He’s a three-level scorer, but also the team’s most physical presence until big man Nemanja Popovic finishes serving his NCAA-mandated 6-game suspension. Latvian forward Rihards Vavers is knocking down 53.3 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc and averaging 12.3 ppg.
The biggest question surrounding this Memphis team is whether its collection of newcomers can develop into a cohesive defensive unit against high-level competition. The Tigers enter the weekend ranked 131st in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency and are coming off a game against Vanderbilt where the Commodores got whatever they wanted on the offensive end and breezed to a triple digit score.
Notable:
—Louisville and Memphis will be playing for the 92nd time on Sunday. Cincinnati (101 meetings) is the only team the Cardinals have played more times.
—Memphis will be playing a ranked opponent for the third time in its first four games. All four of the Tigers’ opponents to date played in the NCAA Tournament last season.
—Louisville is 16-23 all-time in true road games against Memphis.
—Seven of the last eight games in this series have been decided by single digits.
—Sunday will be Louisville’s first true road game of the season. The Cardinals played and won an exhibition game at Kansas last month.
—Louisville has lost its first true road game in each of the last six seasons.
—Memphis and Louisville have been in the same conference four times — the Missouri Valley (1967-1973), Metro Conference (1976-1991), Conference USA (1995- 2005) and American (2013-14).
—Memphis will be holding a “Retro” theme for Sunday’s game. The Tigers are also asking all fans attending the game to wear blue.
—It’s still Memphis State forever.
—Pat Kelsey is 1-0 in games against Memphis.
—Penny Hardaway is 0-1 as a coach in games against Louisville. Hardaway never faced the Cardinals as a player.
—As Memphis’ head coach, Penny Hardaway is 22-11 in games against power conference opponents.
—Hardaway is looking to beat a top 10 AP opponent for the fifth time during his time at Memphis.
—Louisville has a 271-85 record against non-conference opponents over the last 26 seasons.
—After being named ACC Coach of the Year in 2025, head coach Pat Kelsey joined an elite group of eight active head coaches who have won the Coach of the Year distinction in three or more Division-I conferences. Kelsey was named Big South COY in 2021 and CAA COY in 2024 before being hired at Louisville.
—Memphis is 1,116-298 all-time at home, 288-51 all-time at FedExForum, and 106-21 in home games under Penny Hardaway.
—Memphis has made at least 23 free-throws in all three of its games so far this season.
—Under Penny Hardaway, Memphis is 16-23 in games against teams ranked in the AP top 25. They are 1-1 in such games so far this season.
—Louisville is 42-5 under head coach Pat Kelsey when leading at halftime.
—Louisville is 0-10 under head coach Pat Kelsey when trailing by 5 points or more at halftime.
—Louisville is 52-0 under head coach Pat Kelsey when leading with five minutes to play. The Cardinals are also 1-19 under Kelsey when trailing with five minutes to play.
—Louisville is 14-0 over the past 11 seasons when limiting opponents to no more than one three-point field goal.
—Louisville is 122-0 all-time when scoring 100 or more points in non-overtime games.
—Louisville has won 167 consecutive games when holding an opponent under 50 points.
Ken Pomeroy Prediction: Louisville 84, Memphis 79
