By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The University of Cincinnati Bearcats have scored points in bunches all season. They average 83.6 points a game, have had at least four double-figure scorers in each of their last seven games and are beating their opponents by 25.2 points a game, tops in the nation.

Louisville coach Rick Pitino wants his Cardinals to disrupt UC's offense. (AP photo)

But if they're going to continue that offensive dominance tonight against Louisville, they'll have to find a way to score consistently against a team that leads the country in field goal percentage defense (35.7 percent) and is allowing just 58.2 points a game.

"This is the best defensive team he's had in the three years he's been at Louisville," UC coach Bob Huggins said of Cardinals coach Rick Pitino. "They do a great job in pressure and they do a great job in holding your field goal percentage down."

No. 6 UC (13-0, 4-0 Conference USA) takes on No. 5 Louisville (13-1, 4-0) at 7 p.m. today at Freedom Hall in Louisville in a game that looms as one of the most talked-about matchups in the nine-year history of the league, with both teams riding 13-game winning streaks.

The Cardinals have won 14 in a row at home.

"It's going to be a main event," UC guard Tony Bobbitt said. "This is what everybody's ready to see. This is what we live for."

For Louisville, this is a chance to show seven-time champion UC and the rest of the league that it has fully arrived under Pitino. For UC, one of three unbeaten teams in the country, it's a chance to prove wrong the naysayers who have derided the Bearcats' non-league schedule as being too soft.

"It seems like people think Cincinnati isn't real or something," said UC forward Jason Maxiell, "like we're not a true 13-0 team."

Both teams have an abundance of long-range shooters and offensive firepower, but they're defined by their defense.

"It'll come down to, can you guard your man?" Bobbitt said. "Both coaches have pride in their defense and both teams have pride in their defense."

Though the Bearcats can't match Louisville's defensive averages, they're not far behind, allowing 58.4 points a game and holding opponents to 38 percent shooting.

It all starts with their respective full-court presses.

"We both try to be disruptive," Pitino said, "but they will halfcourt trap more than we will out of our pressure. They're different type presses, but both want to take the other team out of what they run. The ultimate objective is the same, but the alignments are different."

UC has forced an average of 23 turnovers compared with 18.7 for Louisville, but UC has not faced much full-court pressure this season.

If the Bearcats handle the Louisville pressure, they'll find themselves face to face with one of the best halfcourt defenses in the country.

"They try to defend the paint," said UC associate head coach Dan Peters, who compiled the scouting report on Louisville. "They try to make you shoot jump shots over the top, and then they're always in position to rebound the ball."

Offensively, Louisville features sophomore forward Francisco Garcia, the preseason conference player of the year, who ranks among the league's top 10 in scoring (14.6), free throw percentage (78.7), assists (5.5 per game), steals (1.86 per game) and blocked shots (1.57 per game).

The Bearcats appear to have a slight edge in depth, especially if Armein Kirkland's sprained left knee has healed enough to allow him to be effective. Kirkland is not 100 percent, but he was improved during practice Tuesday.

Kirkland could help both as a defender on Garcia and for his ability to see over Louisville's press.

UC also appears to be the more physical team.

"They don't have that much presence inside really," Maxiell said, "so we've got to attack them inside-out first."

No. 6 UC vs. No. 5 Louisville

Tipoff: 7 p.m. today, Freedom Hall (18,865).

Records: UC 13-0 (4-0 Conference USA), Louisville 13-1 (4-0).

Radio: WLW-AM (700).

TV: ESPN.

Series: Louisville leads 46-35.

Line: Louisville by 4 1/2

CINCINNATI

Player	Yr.	Ht.	PPG
James White	So.	6-7	8.8
Jason Maxiell	Jr.	6-7	14.6
Kareem Johnson	Sr.	6-7	4.7
Field Williams	Sr.	6-3	13.5
Nick Williams	Jr.	6-4	8.5

Coach: Bob Huggins (362-112, 15th season; 530-184 overall).

LOUISVILLE

Player	Yr.	Ht.	PPG
Luke Whitehead	Sr.	6-6	14.1
Francisco Garcia	So.	6-7	14.6
Kendall Dartez	Sr.	6-10	5.0
Taquan Dean	So.	6-3	13.0
Larry O'Bannon	Jr.	6-4	10.2

Coach: Rick Pitino (57-21, third season; 408-145 overall).

ESPN to announce Silver C-USA squad

ESPN will announce its Silver Anniversary All-Conference USA team at halftime of tonight's UC-Louisville game. ESPN, celebrating its 25th season of college basketball coverage, is unveiling its top five men's players (two guards, two forwards and a center) for eight conferences from the past 25 seasons, dating to 1979-80. The teams, which will represent the Atlantic Coast, Atlantic 10, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Conference USA, Mountain West and Southeastern conferences, were determined by seven-member panels composed primarily of media and conference representatives.

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E-mail bkoch@enquirer.com