12 P.M.: Battle Of The Undefeateds As No. 24 Louisville Hosts No. 20 UNLV

One of only two games on the day involving a pair of nationally- ranked programs, the 24th-ranked Louisville Cardinals get another chance to show off their new digs at the KFC Yum! Center as they host the 20th-ranked UNLV Runnin’ Rebels as part of the Billy Minardi Classic this afternoon.

Not only are both programs ranked in the AP’s Top-25 this week, the squads are also undefeated, with UNLV having rattled off nine straight victories to kick off the 2010-11 campaign. The most recent triumph for the Rebels took place on Wednesday night with the team slipping by Boise State at home by a narrow 75-72 score.

As for the Cardinals, they bring with them a record of 7-0 into this meeting after beating down the San Francisco Dons at home earlier this week by a final of 61-35. The Cardinals should now have intimate knowledge of their new facility, considering the team has played every game this season at home and will be on the road for the first and only time before the new year on December 22nd at Western Kentucky. Put it all together and the Cardinals don’t actually leave the state until they challenge USF in Big East Conference action on January 9th.

The teams have split the previous 10 meetings in the series, but the Rebels have taken two in a row over Louisville with a 76-71 triumph at the Thomas & Mack Center last year and a 56-55 victory in Kentucky a year earlier on New Year’s Eve.

The Rebels led by 14 points at the break against Boise State at home on Wednesday night, but then the squad shot only 1-of-6 behind the three-point line and allowed the Broncos to close the gap before securing the three-point win. Chace Stanback led four players in double figures with his 16 points, followed by Derrick Jasper and Tre’Von Willis with 14 apiece, while Anthony Marshall came away with 11 as he shot 3-of-4 from the floor and a perfect 4- of-4 at the free-throw line. In a bit of a sloppy game, the Rebels managed to overcome 22 turnovers against BSU. The 22 miscues for the Rebels were quite unusual, given that the team was averaging less than 13 per game heading into the matchup with Boise State, although the 22 turnovers caused by the UNLV defense is something that squad should now be used to, considering opponents have averaged almost 18 per game to this point. Stanback leads the team in scoring overall with his 14.6 ppg, his 59.3 percent shooting from the floor elevating the entire group to an impressive 53.3 percent overall, which is head-and-shoulders above the competition which has converted just 36.9 percent through nine games.

Against San Francisco, the Cardinals shot just 36.1 percent from the field and 10-of-36 behind the three-point line, but it didn’t much matter given that the Dons knocked down a mere 31.1 percent from the floor and 2-of-14 out on the perimeter in the meeting earlier this week. Terrence Jennings and Peyton Siva both tallied 14 points in the encounter, while Chris Smith put up 11 points and Preston Knowles contributed 10 in the victory as well. Through seven games the Cardinals are generating a lofty 83.7 ppg on the strength of 46.4 percent shooting from the floor, yet not a single player is scoring even 12.0 ppg at the moment. The balanced attack sports four players in double figures led by Mike Marra with 11.6 ppg, followed by Knowles (11.3 ppg), Siva (11.1 ppg) and Jennings (11.1 ppg). The other starter for the group, Rakeem Buckles (9.7 ppg) has been the central figure in the paint for Louisville with his 8.7 rpg, although Jennings is no slouch in the key either with 6.3 rpg and a team-high 21 blocked shots.

The Rebels are used to playing in front of large crowds at the Thomas & Mack Center, but today the numbers will be against them and could well have an influence on the outcome.

GAME NOTES: One of only two games on the day involving a pair of nationally- ranked programs, the 24th-ranked Louisville Cardinals get another chance to show off their new digs at the KFC Yum! Center as they host the 20th-ranked UNLV Runnin’ Rebels as part of the Billy Minardi Classic this afternoon.

FACTS & STATS: Site: KFC Yum! Center (22,000) -- Louisville, Kentucky. Television: ESPNU. Home Record: UNLV 4-0, Louisville 7-0. Away Record: UNLV 2-0, Louisville 0-0. Neutral Record: UNLV 3-0, Louisville 0-0. Conference Record: UNLV 0-0, Louisville 0-0. Series Record: Series is tied, 5-5.