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UConn, Louisville in rare Friday NCAA betting clash
The Louisville Cardinals are finally getting healthy as they host the Connecticut Huskies in a top-20 Big East battle on Friday night.
The No. 16 Cardinals (19-7 straight-up, 12-10-1 against the spread) have battled injuries all year, especially on the frontline where Jared Swopshire (groin), Rakeem Buckles (finger) and Gorgui Dieng (concussion) have all missed time.
Swopshire has been out the whole season, while Buckles (out 12 games) returned last Saturday against Syracuse and Dieng (out five games) last Wednesday at Cincinnati.
Louisville beat Syracuse at home 73-69 as two-point favorites, but lost 63-54 at Cincinnati as 1 ½-point ‘dogs, getting out-shot from the free throw line (24-7).
Coach Rick Pitino feels his team will improve down the stretch with the injured players getting integrated into the rotation. Buckles and Dieng only played 13 and 12 minutes respectively last game. Forward Terrence Jennings (9.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG) can really use the help underneath against Connecticut.
Louisville still needs to improve on the road, where it’s 1-5 SU and 2-4 ATS in its last six games. Ironically, the only win came at Connecticut on January 29, 79-78 in overtime as 5 ½-point underdogs.
The Cardinals got 49 combined points from their three-leading scorers, guards Preston Knowles (14.9 PPG), Peyton Siva (10.4 PPG) and Kyle Kuric (9.9 PPG). They’ve specialized in comebacks this year and rallied from nine-points back in the second half in that one.
Louisville is undefeated (6-0 SU) in the conference at its new KFC Yum! Center. However, several of those games were also nail-biters, going just 3-3 ATS.
The ‘under’ is 6-2 in Louisville last eight home games with totals, allowing just 62.1 PPG.
No. 13 Connecticut (20-5 SU, 12-7 ATS) is 8-5 SU in the Big East, tied with Louisville, Villanova and St. John’s, and trailing Pittsburgh (12-1 SU), Notre Dame (10-3 SU) and Georgetown (9-5 SU).
The Huskies have has won and ‘covered’ their last two games against Providence (75-57) and Georgetown (78-70). Both were at home, with the Georgetown game on Wednesday night. They were 1-3 SU and 0-4 ATS in their four previous games, including the Louisville loss.
Guard Kemba Walker was 13-of 23 from the field against Georgetown for 31 points. That was a great sign as he’s struggled shooting in several conference games, including 7-of 23 against Louisville.
Coach Jim Calhoun has been looking for a consistent second scorer after Walker (23.2 PPG, seventh in the country). Sophomore forward Jamal Coombs-McDaniel has come out of nowhere for 48 points the last two games after averaging 4.5 PPG in the first 23.
It remains to be seen if Coombs-McDaniel can continue his hot streak going forward. Center Alex Oriakhi is a very solid player, but he’s known more for his rebounding (8.5 per game) and defense as opposed to his offensive game (10.2 PPG).
Both teams like to push the ball, although neither is a high scoring team. Louisville is 32nd in the country at 76.4 PPG and Connecticut is 56th at 74.3 PPG.
Connecticut is 2-2 SU and ATS in the last four meetings at Louisville, but just 2-6-1 ATS in the last nine meetings overall.
Connecticut is not reporting any significant injuries, while Louisville is only listing Swopshire (out for the year).
ESPN will have the 6 p.m. (PT) tip-off in the marquee game of the evening.
The Louisville Cardinals are finally getting healthy as they host the Connecticut Huskies in a top-20 Big East battle on Friday night.
The No. 16 Cardinals (19-7 straight-up, 12-10-1 against the spread) have battled injuries all year, especially on the frontline where Jared Swopshire (groin), Rakeem Buckles (finger) and Gorgui Dieng (concussion) have all missed time.
Swopshire has been out the whole season, while Buckles (out 12 games) returned last Saturday against Syracuse and Dieng (out five games) last Wednesday at Cincinnati.
Louisville beat Syracuse at home 73-69 as two-point favorites, but lost 63-54 at Cincinnati as 1 ½-point ‘dogs, getting out-shot from the free throw line (24-7).
Coach Rick Pitino feels his team will improve down the stretch with the injured players getting integrated into the rotation. Buckles and Dieng only played 13 and 12 minutes respectively last game. Forward Terrence Jennings (9.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG) can really use the help underneath against Connecticut.
Louisville still needs to improve on the road, where it’s 1-5 SU and 2-4 ATS in its last six games. Ironically, the only win came at Connecticut on January 29, 79-78 in overtime as 5 ½-point underdogs.
The Cardinals got 49 combined points from their three-leading scorers, guards Preston Knowles (14.9 PPG), Peyton Siva (10.4 PPG) and Kyle Kuric (9.9 PPG). They’ve specialized in comebacks this year and rallied from nine-points back in the second half in that one.
Louisville is undefeated (6-0 SU) in the conference at its new KFC Yum! Center. However, several of those games were also nail-biters, going just 3-3 ATS.
The ‘under’ is 6-2 in Louisville last eight home games with totals, allowing just 62.1 PPG.
No. 13 Connecticut (20-5 SU, 12-7 ATS) is 8-5 SU in the Big East, tied with Louisville, Villanova and St. John’s, and trailing Pittsburgh (12-1 SU), Notre Dame (10-3 SU) and Georgetown (9-5 SU).
The Huskies have has won and ‘covered’ their last two games against Providence (75-57) and Georgetown (78-70). Both were at home, with the Georgetown game on Wednesday night. They were 1-3 SU and 0-4 ATS in their four previous games, including the Louisville loss.
Guard Kemba Walker was 13-of 23 from the field against Georgetown for 31 points. That was a great sign as he’s struggled shooting in several conference games, including 7-of 23 against Louisville.
Coach Jim Calhoun has been looking for a consistent second scorer after Walker (23.2 PPG, seventh in the country). Sophomore forward Jamal Coombs-McDaniel has come out of nowhere for 48 points the last two games after averaging 4.5 PPG in the first 23.
It remains to be seen if Coombs-McDaniel can continue his hot streak going forward. Center Alex Oriakhi is a very solid player, but he’s known more for his rebounding (8.5 per game) and defense as opposed to his offensive game (10.2 PPG).
Both teams like to push the ball, although neither is a high scoring team. Louisville is 32nd in the country at 76.4 PPG and Connecticut is 56th at 74.3 PPG.
Connecticut is 2-2 SU and ATS in the last four meetings at Louisville, but just 2-6-1 ATS in the last nine meetings overall.
Connecticut is not reporting any significant injuries, while Louisville is only listing Swopshire (out for the year).
ESPN will have the 6 p.m. (PT) tip-off in the marquee game of the evening.
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