LOUISVILLE_NP0 ,_PUN Ky._NP0 -_PUN Fresh_AJ0 off_AVP of_PRF winning_VVG an_AT0 in-season_AJ0 championship_NN1 down_AVP in_PRP the_AT0 Bahamas_NP0 ,_PUN the_AT0 Louisville_NP0 's_POS men_NN2 's_POS basketball_NN1 program_NN1 now_AV0 heads_VVZ to_PRP East_NP0 Lansing_NP0 ,_PUN facing_VVG Michigan_NP0 State_NN1 as_PRP part_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 ACC_NP0 /_PUN Big_AJ0 Ten_CRD Challenge_NN1 ._SENT Tip-off_NN1 is_VBZ scheduled_VVN for_PRP Wednesday_NP0 ,_PUN Dec._NP0 1_CRD at_PRP 7_CRD :_PUN 15_CRD p.m._AV0 EST._AJ0 Here_AV0 are_VBB a_AT0 few_DT0 of_PRF the_AT0 more_AV0 significant_AJ0 storylines_NN2 to_TO0 follow_VVI ahead_AV0 of_PRF the_AT0 Cardinals_NN2 '_POS matchup_NN1 against_PRP the_AT0 Spartans_NN2 :_PUN Return_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 Mack_NP0 C'mon_NP0 ,_PUN you_PNP had_VHD to_TO0 see_VVI that_DT0 pun_NN1 coming_VVG ._SENT Wednesday_NP0 's_POS game_NN1 at_PRP Michigan_NP0 State_NP0 will_VM0 mark_VVI the_AT0 season_NN1 debut_NN1 for_PRP Louisville_NP0 head_NN1 coach_NN1 Chris_NP0 Mack_NP0 ._SENT He_PNP had_VHD been_VBN previously_AV0 serving_VVG a_AT0 six-game_NN1 suspension_NN1 for_PRP his_DPS handling_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 Dino_NP0 Gaudio_NP0 extortion_NN1 attempt_NN1 ._SENT Mack_NP0 made_VVD his_DPS return_NN1 to_PRP practice_NN1 on_PRP Monday_NP0 ._SENT In_PRP Mack_NP0 's_POS absence_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 Cardinals_NN2 were_VBD led_VVN by_PRP assistant_AJ0 coach_NN1 Mike_NP0 Pegues_NP0 ._SENT Louisville_NP0 looked_VVD rocky_AJ0 during_PRP their_DPS four-game_NN1 home-stand_NN1 to_TO0 start_VVI the_AT0 season_NN1 ,_PUN but_CJC put_VVB together_AV0 a_AT0 much_AV0 more_AV0 impressive_AJ0 effort_NN1 down_AVP in_PRP the_AT0 Baha_NP0 Mar_NP0 Hoops_NN2 Bahamas_NP0 Championship_NN1 ._SENT Pegues_NP0 went_VVD 5-1_CRD in_PRP his_DPS head_NN1 coaching_NN1 debut_NN1 ._SENT Battle_NN1 Tested_VVD While_CJS Louisville_NP0 's_POS month_NN1 of_PRF November_NP0 featured_VVD mostly_AV0 low-to-mid_AJ0 tier_NN1 competition_NN1 ,_PUN Michigan_NP0 State_NP0 was_VBD in_PRP a_AT0 war_NN1 almost_AV0 every_AT0 night_NN1 ._SENT Heading_VVG into_PRP their_DPS Wednesday_NP0 night_NN1 ACC_NP0 /_PUN Big_AJ0 Ten_CRD Challenge_NN1 showdown_NN1 ,_PUN Michigan_NP0 State_NP0 sports_VVZ a_AT0 strength_NN1 of_PRF schedule_NN1 that_CJT ranks_VVZ No._NN1 7_CRD in_PRP the_AT0 country_NN1 ,_PUN according_VVG to_PRP Warren_NP0 Nolan_NP0 ._SENT Only_AV0 Oakland_NP0 ,_PUN Xavier_NP0 ,_PUN New_NP0 Mexico_NP0 State_NP0 ,_PUN Gardner-Webb_NP0 ,_PUN Alabama_NP0 and_CJC VCU_NP0 have_VHB faced_VVN stiffer_AJC collective_AJ0 competition_NN1 ._SENT They_PNP opened_VVD the_AT0 season_NN1 by_PRP getting_VVG hammered_VVN by_PRP Kansas_NP0 87-74_CRD ,_PUN and_CJC were_VBD most_AV0 recently_AV0 drilled_VVN by_PRP Baylor_NP0 75-58_CRD the_AT0 Battle_NN1 4_CRD Atlantis_NN1 title_NN1 game_NN1 ._SENT But_CJC ,_PUN they_PNP do_VDB have_VHI a_AT0 few_DT0 good_AJ0 wins_NN2 on_PRP their_DPS resume_NN1 already_AV0 ._SENT Before_PRP getting_VVG beatdown_NN1 by_PRP Baylor_NP0 ,_PUN they_PNP logged_VVD back-to-back_AJ0 wins_NN2 over_PRP Loyolo_NP0 Chicago_NP0 and_CJC UConn_NP0 -_PUN both_DT0 of_PRF whom_PNQ are_VBB ranked_VVN inside_PRP the_AT0 KenPom_NP0 top_NN1 30._CRD Add_VVB in_PRP a_AT0 solid_AJ0 win_NN1 over_PRP Butler_NP0 ,_PUN as_CJS well_AV0 as_CJS gimmes_NN2 against_PRP Western_AJ0 Michigan_NP0 and_CJC Eastern_AJ0 Michigan_NP0 ,_PUN and_CJC the_AT0 Spartans_NN2 sit_VVB at_PRP 5-2_CRD on_PRP the_AT0 year_NN1 ._SENT They_PNP are_VBB currently_AV0 No._NN1 22_CRD in_PRP the_AT0 latest_AJS Associated_AJ0 Press_NN1 Top_NN1 25_CRD poll_NN1 ._SENT Lockdown_NN1 Defense_NN1 Like_PRP Louisville_NP0 ,_PUN Michigan_NP0 State_NP0 is_VBZ a_AT0 defensive-minded_AJ0 team_NN1 ,_PUN only_AV0 they_PNP are_VBB executing_VVG at_PRP a_AT0 higher_AJC degree_NN1 ._SENT Both_AV0 their_DPS field_NN1 goal_NN1 percentage_NN1 defense_NN1 and_CJC their_DPS three-point_AJ0 percentage_NN1 defense_NN1 are_VBB ranked_VVN No._NN1 30_CRD in_PRP the_AT0 nation_NN1 ,_PUN at_PRP 37.6_CRD percent_NN0 and_CJC 26.3_CRD percent_NN0 ,_PUN respectively_AV0 ._SENT Like_PRP Louisville_NP0 's_POS previous_AJ0 foe_NN1 Maryland_NP0 ,_PUN the_AT0 Spartans_NN2 also_AV0 get_VVB in_PRP a_AT0 lot_NN1 of_PRF blocks_NN2 ,_PUN averaging_VVG 5.2_CRD per_PRP game_NN1 for_PRP 38th_ORD in_PRP D1_CRD ._SENT On_PRP the_AT0 defensive_AJ0 end_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 court_NN1 ,_PUN senior_AJ0 forward_NN1 Marcus_NP0 Bingham_NP0 Jr._NP0 leads_VVZ the_AT0 charge_NN1 ._SENT 
