Virginia Tech @ Louisville preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 4, 2019 ) Louisville 72, Virginia Tech 64

With two games left in the ACC regular season, Louisville is locked in a two-way tie for the top spot in the ACC standings with Florida State. The 10th-ranked Cardinals open the month of March with its final home game of the season and look to finish 17-1 in the KFC Yum! Center when Virginia Tech rolls into town Sunday.

The Cardinals are coming off an 82-67 loss to No. 6 Florida State on Monday and close the regular season at Virginia next Saturday. Ryan McMahon scored 14 points off the bench, including 3-of-5 on 3-pointers, but the rest of his teammates combined for 2-of-16 beyond the arc. "Obviously, we aren't in the driver's seat anymore ... We have to worry about what we can control," coach Chris Mack said. "We have to be at our best on Sunday against Virginia Tech. We finally have a chance to get a little rest. We have been going twice a week since December." The Hokies have dropped eight of their last nine games, including a tight 56-53 home defeat to Virginia on Wednesday when Virginia guard Kihei Clark hit a 3-pointer with just under three seconds remaining.

TIME: 6 p.m. ET. TV: ACC Network

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (15-13, 6-11 ACC): Virginia Tech shot just 20.8 percent in the first half against Virginia and trailed by 15 points but connected at 51.9 percent after the break, including 8-of-14 from beyond the arc. Freshman Landers Nolley II (16.6 points, 6.1 rebounds) paced the Hokies with 13 points off the bench and scored in double figures for the 24th time in 28 games, while junior P.J. Horne (7.1 points) hit at least three 3-pointers in a game for the fifth time this season. Freshman 6-10 center John Ojiako (21 blocks in 288 minutes) earned his first start of his career, scoring two points in nine minutes, and Isaiah Wilkins (4.5 points) started for just the fifth time in his career (fourth this season), going scoreless in 11 minutes.

ABOUT LOUISVILLE (23-6, 14-4): Louisville has five players averaging eight or more points, led by Jordan Nwora, who is second in the ACC in scoring (17.9 points), eighth in rebounding (7.4) and fourth in 3-point goals (2.4). Dwayne Sutton (9.3 points, 8.3 rebounds) has averaged 11.8 points and 7.8 rebounds over his last five games - tops on the team in that stretch. Freshman David Johnson (6.4 points) has 24 assists with 10 turnovers in his last four games and is averaging 9.5 points, 4.5 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals in his last 13.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Louisville beat Virginia Tech 72-64 last year as Sutton totaled 17 points, nine rebounds and four assists for the Cardinals. McMahon added 17 points off the bench, including 12 points in 83 seconds during a second-half stretch.

2. Virginia Tech leads the nation in fewest turnovers per game (9.6) and is 15th in 3-point field goals made (9.8). Nolley is fourth in the ACC in scoring and tied for sixth in 3-pointers made (64).

3. Louisville junior F Malik Williams (8.8 points, 6.3 rebounds) injured his left ankle early in the Florida State game and is doubtful for Virginia Tech.

PREDICTION: Louisville 74, Virginia Tech 68