We are still in the very early stages of the college basketball season, but it has already become very clear that landing the #1 seed is not going to be easy. We have seen a number of top seeds fall in shock upsets already, and with conference play about to get into full swing, there is a better than average chance that there are more surprises still to come. If you look at the standings right now, there are an awful lot of familiar faces up there, with Michigan being the team to make the biggest strides in the past couple of weeks.
Their move toward the #1 spot stalled with a loss to the current top seeded Louisville Cardinals. It’s not going to be easy to oust #1 team, although Louisville does have a tough ACC Conference game on tap on Friday night, with the Pittsburgh Panthers set to roll into town. Can Louisville remain unbeaten or are we in for another surprise? The Cardinals are in as a 12-point favorite in their own building, with the point total for this one set at 129 ½.
Pittsburgh vs Louisville 2019 College Basketball Odds, Game Info & Pick
- When: Friday, December 6 at 9 PM EST
- Where: KFC Yum! Center, Louisville
- TV: ACCN
- Radio: SiriusXM
- Live Stream: WatchACC
- College Basketball Odds: Louisville -12 (Total 129.5)
Why bet on the Pittsburgh Panthers?
The Pittsburgh Panthers saw their season get off to a rather wobbly start, but they are now putting things together and come into this one on a 5-game winning streak that has taken them to a rather respectable 7-2 on the season. While they are still sitting outside the top 25, they would certainly break in with a win here, but given their recent record against Louisville, that is going to be easier said than done.The Panthers have just 1 win in their last 10 meetings with the Cardinals and have been outscored by an average of 18 PPG in those meetings. One the bright side, the Panthers are 3-0 SU in games played away from home, including neutral site games, this season. They are also 4-1 ATS in their last 5 overall.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 65.78
- Field Goal Percentage: 41.92
- Three-Point Percentage: 26.09
- Free Throw Percentage: 70.35
- Total Rebounds: 37.11
Defense
- Total Score: 58.59
- Field Goal Percentage: 38.57
- Three-Point Percentage: 33.70
- Free Throw Percentage: 72.73
- Total Rebounds: 34.78
Why bet on the Louisville Cardinals?
The Louisville Cardinals are full value for their current #1 seed, going 8-0 SU to start the season. Their best win of the season came earlier this week, when they essentially shut down the high-flying Michigan Wolverines in a dominating 58-43 win. This is a team that is not anywhere near the top in any of the major offensive or defensive stats, but they continually find ways to win in dominating fashion.It’s wins and losses that count here, not where you are in those other stats. The Cardinals have won 7 in a row in their own building, while also winning each of their last 9 home games versus the Pittsburgh Panthers. At 4-4 ATS, they have not been a great spread bet this season, although they are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games versus ACC opponents.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 78.75
- Field Goal Percentage: 49.89
- Three-Point Percentage: 38.55
- Free Throw Percentage: 73.33
- Total Rebounds: 40.75
Defense
- Total Score: 59.00
- Field Goal Percentage: 35.01
- Three-Point Percentage: 27.46
- Free Throw Percentage: 68.55
- Total Rebounds: 31.75
Pittsburgh vs Louisville College Basketball Betting Trends
- Panthers are 1-19 SU in their last 20 games on the road
- Panthers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games this season
- The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Pittsburgh’s last 10 games played in December
- Cardinals are 8-0 SU in their last 8 games
- Cardinals are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against an opponent in the Atlantic Coast conference
- The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Louisville’s last 8 games played in December
Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction for Pittsburgh vs Louisville
The win over Michigan earlier this week proved that the Louisville Cardinals are for real. This is another tough test for them, but it’s one that I believe they pass with flying colors. I’m taking the Cardinals to win and cover the spread.Score: Pittsburgh Panthers 52 – Louisville Cardinals 77
