Eastern Kentucky @ Louisville preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 17, 2016 ) Eastern Kentucky 56, Louisville 87

In Louisville's first nine games - all wins - only Akron was able to keep the final margin in single digits, and Player of the Year candidate Jordan Nwora faced little adversity. The junior forward struggled for the first time in the top-ranked Cardinals' loss against Texas Tech on Tuesday but looks to bounce back Saturday when Eastern Kentucky visits in a non-conference game.

Nwora scored no fewer than 17 points in the first nine contests while playing 30 minutes per game but shot just 4-of-16 from the floor in the 70-57 loss to the Red Raiders at Madison Square Garden in the Jimmy V Classic. The 6-7 New York native was 1-of-7 from the arc after entering shooting 46 perfect and committed four turnovers, earning the wrath of coach Chris Mack. "In the first half, he was (forcing shots). He didn't play very well. He wasn't the only one. I thought he played much harder in the second half," Mack declared afterwards. "He didn't do that to start the game and he knows that." The Cardinals became the fourth AP No.1 team to lose this season, joining Michigan State, Kentucky and Duke.

TV: Noon ET, ACC Network

ABOUT EASTERN KENTUCKY (3-6): The Colonels have lost four straight games and two of their three wins on the season have come against non-Division I foes. Eastern Kentucky was taken down by Northern Kentucky 76-57 on Sunday, and Ty Taylor II (12.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 24 3-pointers) was the only player in double figures with 14 points, including 4-of-8 shooting beyond the arc. Sophomore guard Jomaru Brown (17.3 points, 37 percent shooting) takes 38.4 percent of the Colonels' shots when he's on the court - eighth highest percentage in the nation - and is excellent at drawing fouls (7.2 per 40 minutes, good for 19th in the country).

ABOUT LOUISVILLE (9-1): The Cardinals shot an abysmal 34 percent from the floor, including 3-of-17 from 3-point range, and center Steven Enoch (10.6 points, 7.3 rebounds) was the only other player to reach double figures with 10 points and six rebounds. Nwora (20.8, 7.5) did struggle but had nine rebounds and a season-high three assists. Dwayne Sutton (8.9, 8.4), who had four points, nine rebounds and three assists, is having an excellent senior campaign, shooting 74 percent on 2-pointers, 43 percent on 3-pointers and averaging 3.1 offensive rebounds per game.

TIP-INS

1. The Cardinals have won 14 straight in the series, including 87-56 in 2016 in the most recent meeting.

2. Mack has the Cardinals dialed in on defense, ranking third in defensive efficiency (85.4 points per 100 possessions) - nine points better than last season when they ranked 24th in the nation - and holding opponents to 27 percent beyond the arc.

3. Eastern Kentucky's one win over a Division I team this season was in the opener - a 79-68 victory over Chattanooga.

PREDICTION: Louisville 93, Eastern Kentucky 58