Florida State Seminoles vs Louisville Cardinals Prediction & Match Preview - January 18, 2021 | NCAA Men's Basketball
The 16th-ranked Louisville Cardinals will be hosting their ACC rivals, the Florida State Seminoles, in a conference battle on Monday night.
The Cardinals were on a five-game winning streak as one of the hottest teams in college basketball but were shocked in a 6-point upset against the Miami Hurricanes on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Seminoles had a strong performance in their last game, with a 7-point victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Match Details
Fixture: Florida State Seminoles vs. Louisville Cardinals - NCAA Men's Basketball
Date & Time: Monday, January 18th, 2021, 7 PM ET
Venue: KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, Kentucky
Florida State Seminoles Preview
The Florida State Seminoles are looking strong after back-to-back wins in conference play. They have been holding off offenses with very strong defensive possessions and are led by guard MJ Walker on the offensive end.
The Seminoles shot 48% as a team in their latest victory over North Carolina and improved to 7-2 on the season.
If the Florida State Seminoles keep their momentum rolling, they could take down the Louisville Cardinals while their spirits are low after the upset.
Key Player - MJ Walker
MJ Walker gave the Florida State Seminoles the boost that they needed to take down the North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday.
Walker finished with 21 points on 54% shooting, while also tallying 3 assists and 3 rebounds. He led all scorers and helped the Florida State Seminoles to their second straight ACC victory.
Walker leads his team with 15.8 points per game this season and will need to have another great showing against the Louisville Cardinals on Monday.
In a game that could be close until the final horn, MJ Walker has a chance to help his team to an upset and shake up the ACC standings.
Florida State Seminoles Predicted Lineup
F RaiQuan Gray, G M.J. Walker, C Balsa Koprivica, G Anthony Polite, G Scottie Barnes
Louisville Cardinals Preview
The Louisville Cardinals suffered their second loss of the season on Saturday as they were stunned by the Miami Hurricanes. They shot a dismal 15% from three-point range and could not convert on timely buckets down the stretch.
The Cardinals fell to 2nd place in the ACC standings with this loss and are in need of a quick recovery for Monday's match-up.
The Florida State Seminoles are a tough team, and the Louisville Cardinals will need to prepare a solid gameplan over the next two days to avoid another conference loss.
Key Player - Carlik Jones
The most consistent player on the Louisville Cardinals' offense thus far has been senior guard Carlik Jones.
Averaging a team-leading 17.2 points and 4.7 assists on 42% shooting, Jones has been showing NBA draft potential with his performances this season.
Carlik Jones has been effective in many ways, but one of his most useful skills is the ability to draw contact. He has been sent to the charity stripe a team-high 47 times and has made teams pay with his 83% free-throw percentage.
Jones has scored 40 points in his last two games and will need to stay hot against the Florida State Seminoles on Monday.
Louisville Cardinals Predicted Lineup
F Jae'Lyn Withers, F Samuell Williamson, C Dre Davis, G Carlik Jones, G David Johnson
Florida State vs Louisville Prediction
The Florida State Seminoles have played good basketball this season and will certainly put up a very good fight in this match-up. They are a very skilled team offensively and could pull off an upset with a big night from M.J. Walker and company.
However, the Louisville Cardinals are in desperate need of a victory after their upset. The Cardinals' defenders have held strong against some of the best offenses in the ACC and should contain the Seminoles' dangerous shooters.
I expect the Louisville Cardinals to recover from their loss and secure a narrow victory over the Florida State Seminoles.
Where to watch Florida State vs. Louisville
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.