The #8 Louisville Cardinals (27-7) face #9 Creighton Bluejays (24-10) in the South Region's opening round of March Madness. Tip-off is scheduled for 12:15pm ET at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY, with CBS broadcasting.

Current odds show Louisville as 2.5-point favorites (-155 ML) with the total at 145.5. The spread has moved a point toward the Cardinals since opening, with 77% of moneyline handle backing Louisville.

Both teams are coming off conference championship game losses - Louisville to Duke (ACC) and Creighton to St. John's (Big East). The Cardinals enter on a remarkable run, winning 21 of their last 23 games.

Key Matchup Analysis:

• Louisville's experienced backcourt led by Chucky Hepburn (16 PPG, 6 APG) and Terrance Edwards Jr. (17 PPG) gives them a significant advantage
• Cardinals' perimeter defense (holding opponents under 34% from 3) will be crucial
• Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner poses a threat inside, but Louisville's 80th percentile double-team rate on bigs should counter this
• Cardinals have home-court advantage playing in their home state

Louisville's Advantages:

• Four senior starters providing veteran leadership
• 60th nationally in scoring
• Strong rebounding despite guard-heavy lineup
• Ranks 23rd in KenPom (13 spots ahead of Creighton)

Creighton's Challenges:

• Loss of second-leading scorer Pop Isaacs
• Steven Ashworth's 22% turnover rate concerning against Louisville's defense
• Below-average three-point shooting (34% of attempts, ranking 178th)

Prediction: Louisville's superior guard play, home-court advantage, and defensive prowess should lead them to victory. Their ability to contain Kalkbrenner while exploiting backcourt mismatches makes them the smart pick at -2.5.

With a potential matchup against a struggling Auburn team next, Louisville could be a dark horse in the South Region's Final Four odds.

Related Articles

Previous Articles