NCAAB Game Preview - North Carolina Central at Louisville

Sun Nov 17, 2019 5:00 PM EST

Prior to a Wednesday night home date with Indiana State, Louisville coach Chris Mack let it be known that he wasn't happy that it was outrebounded 46-38 by Youngstown State in its previous game.

Message received.

Cardinals center Steven Enoch outboarded the Sycamores by himself in the first half 7-6. Louisville owned a 24-6 rebounding margin at the half and coasted to a 91-62 victory, finishing with a 42-21 advantage in rebounding.

Mack will look for more of that kind of effort Sunday when the No. 4 Cardinals continue a five-game homestand against North Carolina Central.

"There were a couple of car crashes out there because guys were going hard after the ball," Mack said after the rout of Indiana State. "And that's who we have to be. Complete teams do that. It's just a matter of carving out that position and out-toughing your opponent for the ball."

Louisville (3-0) has had no problem making shots, unlike some top teams who are experiencing trouble adjusting to college basketball's longer 3-point line. The Cardinals have canned 54.1 percent from the field and 43.1 percent from distance, using excellent inside-outside balance.

Forward Jordan Nwora leads the way with 21.7 points and 7.7 rebounds a game, making 54.8 percent from the field. Four other players are scoring in double figures, with guard Ryan McMahon tallying 13.7 ppg. McMahon is 11 of 18 from the arc, which adds up to an effective shooting percentage of close to 90 percent.

Louisville is also drawing assists on 53.1 percent of its field goals, but Mack also sees room for improvement there.

"I don't want our team to think that everything is fine at the offensive end," he said. "I think we have to share the ball a little more and get a little more patient."

While the Cardinals are looking to fine-tune their game, the Eagles (1-2) are aiming for their first win over a ranked team since joining Division I in 2007. They have lost all 10 previous opportunities, none coming closer than 11 points.

Louisville will be the highest-ranked team North Carolina Central has played since an 89-47 defeat at No. 4 North Carolina 10 seasons ago. The Eagles, who were picked to win the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, come into town off a 57-47 loss Friday night at Akron.

Ty Graves scored 10 points to pace North Carolina Central, which hit only 17 of 60 shots from the field and 5 of 18 on 3-pointers, wasting a strong defensive effort. It held the Zips to 25.5 percent shooting and 6 of 26 on 3s, but sent them to the foul line 31 times.

It's the second of a four-game road trip for the Eagles. This is their first meeting with the Cardinals.

"Our schedule is tough, man. It's brutal," coach Levelle Moton said.

--Field Level Media