(8) Colorado State vs. (1) Louisville
5:15 PM EST
Spread: LOU -11
Total: 134.5
M/L: LOU -700, COL +550
Betting Odds from Bookmaker
The No. 1 seeded Louisville Cardinals are 30-5 and have won their last 11 games, including victories over Syracuse (twice) and Notre Dame (twice). Their last loss came to Notre Dame on February 9, and they are 6-3 this season against ranked opponents.
They closed the Big East tournament with a 78-61 victory over then-No. 19 Syracuse, as they came back from down 16 to win by 17. Montrezi Harrell had 20 points off the bench on 7-of-13 shooting, though the Cardinals shot just 40.4 percent as a team.
In their opening round win over North Carolina A&T, the Cardinals put up 47 points in the first half, and Russ Smith had 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting. Smith led Louisville in scoring with 18.2 points per game this season, and he did it in just under 30 minutes of play per night.
The 6’1″ junior has made huge strides from last season when he shot just 35 percent from the floor, and this year is hitting a career high 41.5 percent from the floor and 33 percent from behind the arc. The Cardinals are 8-1 when Smith scores at least 23 points. His season of 31 came in a 99-47 rout of UKMC, but he also had 25 in a 70-68 loss to Syracuse on Jan 19.
Colorado State is one of the best rebounding teams in the nation, ranking No. 4 in rebounds per game (40.4). The Rams have won four of their last five games, but lost to UNLV to close Moutian West play on March 15. The Rams won by 12 in the opening round against No. 9 seeded Missouri, and Dorian Green went for 29 points on 6-of-13 shooting and 11-of-12 free throws. Green averaged 13.2 points per game this season.
The Rams best player is Colton Iverson, who nearly averaged a double double this season, with 14.4 points per game and 9.9 rebounds. Iverson is a 6’10” senior and this is his only season at Colorado State seeing major minutes. He spent his first three years playing for Minnesota, but saw under 20 minutes per night, and shot under 50 percent from the floor in ’10-11 and ’09-10.
In the 78-56 victory over Wyoming on March 6, Iverson had 29 points and eight rebounds and he went 12-of-12 from the floor. His size alone is a reason to expect Colorado State to keep this one close, but they’re ultimately expected to falter according to college basketball oddsmakers, who set the line 11 points in favor of the No. 1 seeded Cardinals.
Betting Trends:
Col St: OVER 7-0-1 last 8 overall, OVER is 7-2 in last 9 neutral sites, 2-6 ATS in last 8 overall
Lou: 8-0 ATS in last 8 overall, UNDER 7-2 in last 9 NCAA Tournament Games.
