Fairleigh Dickinson-Louisville Preview

Louisville is getting healthier just in time for a daunting set of games but might need some time to adjust to some changes from coach Rick Pitino.

A matchup with Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday may give the fifth-ranked Cardinals a chance to continue doing that while clinching their best start in 15 seasons.

Louisville (8-0) has had six players sit out at points during this season, and Pitino said those absences put his team in survival mode. The Cardinals have endured mainly by limiting opponents to an average of 52.0 points and 34.4 percent shooting.

In his third game since spraining his ankle, Peyton Siva kept the Cardinals unbeaten with a layup in the closing seconds of overtime against Vanderbilt on Dec. 2. Junior forward Rakeem Buckles returned from knee surgery Wednesday against IUPUI, but that didn't spark the team to a strong first half.

Louisville led by just five at halftime before limiting the Jaguars to 26.3 percent shooting over the final 20 minutes of a 90-60 rout.

Senior guard Chris Smith led the way for the Cardinals with a season-high 19 points, while sophomore center Gorgui Dieng had a career-best 18 points on 8-of-8 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds.

Louisville might also get Elisha Justice and Wayne Blackshear back on the floor in the coming weeks. Stephan Van Treese remains out indefinitely, and Mike Marra is expected to miss the rest of this season.

"We have a lot left to learn right now. We put in one system just to try and win and survive and now we're putting in another system to pick up the up-tempo and do other things," Pitino said. "Now we're making the next transition, and it's going to take a little time to learn all this."

Pitino's team won't have too much time to learn with No. 21 Memphis visiting the KFC Yum! Center on Dec. 17. The Cardinals also have a home game against No. 18 Georgetown on Dec. 28 followed by a trip to top-ranked Kentucky on Dec. 31.

Louisville will try to head into that stretch with its best start since winning its first 10 games in 1996-97. A matchup with the Knights (1-7) could help the Cardinals accomplish that task.

Fairleigh Dickinson has lost its last five - all on the road - and averaged 57.8 points in its past four defeats. The Knights had their worst scoring performance of the season Wednesday, a 70-46 loss to Stony Brook.

Lonnie Hayes, leading Fairleigh Dickinson with 15.3 points per game, was held scoreless while missing 11 shots. Former Louisville forward George Goode, averaging 10.6 points and a team-best 7.5 rebounds, had 13 points and 11 boards.

Louisville, which has won both meetings with Fairleigh Dickinson, is seeking its 17th consecutive home victory.