UC Irvine vs. Louisville preview

UC Irvine (21-12) vs. Louisville (24-8)

When/where: Friday, 1:10 p.m. at KeyArena, Seattle

TV: TBS

Radio: Westwood One and KUCI 88.9 FM

Key Anteaters: Sr. F Will Davis (12.9 points, 7.0 rebounds per game); So. G Luke Nelson (10.5 ppg); So. Mamadou Ndiaye (10.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg); Jr. G Alex Young (9.6 ppg).

Key Cardinals: So. G Terry Rozier (17.1 ppg); Jr. F Montrezl Harrell (15.7 ppg. 9.5 rpg).

Breakdown: The No. 4-seeded Cardinals are coached by Hall of Famer Rick Pitino, who is making his 20th trip to the NCAA Tournament as a head coach … With its 41st trip the Big Dance, Louisville (which won titles in 1980, 1986 and 2013) ranks No. 5 all-time in that category. The “Ville” ranks sixth in tournament wins (72-41) and has reached the Final Four seven times … No. 13-seeded UCI, in its 50th season and a member of the Division I ranks since the 1977-78 campaign, is making the program’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament … Davis, a first-team All-Big West Conference performer and the MVP of the conference tournament, ranks No. 2 in school annals in career rebounds (843) and his 1,370 points rank No. 8 in school history. Davis became the first player to record three double-doubles in the Big West Tournament … UCI has three straight 20-win seasons under Coach Russell Turner, in his fifth year. The school has eight 20-win seasons all-time … The Anteaters are 48-1 the last 49 times they have held an opponent to 60 or fewer points … UCI has 390 blocked shots over the last two seasons and five players this season have at least 20 … UCI’s scoring defense (62.3 per game) is the best in school history .. The ‘Eaters have had single-digit turnovers in three of the last four games and six of their last eight … Friday’s winner will meet either Northern Iowa (30-3) or Wyoming (25-9) in Sunday’s third round.

— Barry Faulkner