March Madness: #8 Louisville Cardinals Take on #9 Creighton Bluejays - Predictions & Odds
The #8 Louisville Cardinals, winners in 21 of their last 23 games, are 2.5-point favorites against the #9 Creighton Bluejays in their March Madness first-round matchup. Tip-off is set for 12:15pm ET at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY.
Basketball player wearing black jersey
Key Game Details:
- Louisville (-2.5, -155) vs Creighton (+130)
- Total: 145.5
- Public betting: 50/50 split ATS, 77% ML handle on Louisville
- Over/Under: 74% of handle on Over 145.5
Why Louisville Will Win:
- Strong backcourt led by ACC Defensive Player of the Year Chucky Hepburn (16 PPG, 6 APG)
- Terrance Edwards Jr. averaging 17 points per game
- Four senior starters providing experience
- Strong perimeter defense (holding opponents under 34% from 3)
- Effective double-team strategy against opposing bigs
- Home state advantage playing in Kentucky
Creighton's Challenges:
- Loss of second-leading scorer Pop Isaacs
- Steven Ashworth's 22% turnover rate
- Limited three-point shooting (34% of attempts, ranks 178th nationally)
- Will face tough defense against star center Ryan Kalkbrenner
Prediction: Louisville -2.5 The Cardinals' experienced backcourt, home-court advantage, and defensive prowess make them the smart pick. Their ability to neutralize Kalkbrenner with double teams while defending the perimeter effectively should lead to a victory. A win could set up an interesting matchup with struggling top-seed Auburn in the next round.