It was poor start to conference play for the Louisville Cardinals last time out when they lost at home to the Virginia Cavaliers. There is no time to dwell on that hiccup as Louisville hit the road to face another ranked opponent in the Indiana Hoosiers.
Both teams have talent spread across the roster but each have hit a rough patch of late. This is a big game for both sides and Indiana could be a slight favorite as it will have the crowd on its side in this matchup.
At 12:30 p.m. ET, tune into CBS for live television coverage of this NCAA basketball game on Saturday, December 31, 2016, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Saturday schedule.
Odds at BookMaker.eu
Indiana is 10-3 straight up and 6-5 against the spread on the season. The Hoosiers had a big early win over Kansas and added another biggie over North Carolina, but has some head-scratching losses to Fort Wayne and Nebraska.
Indiana needs to become more consistent. The Hoosiers are 4-4 against the spread as the favorite this year and while they may have a slight advantage in this one, it could be a tight contest.
Louisville is 11-2 straight up and 8-3 against the spread on the season. The Cardinals have been very good at covering at home this season but are just 1-2 against the spread away from their home court and will aim for better success here.
Key Stat
51.9. That’s the percentage Indiana is shooting from the field this year, as it has one of the most efficient offenses in college basketball. The Hoosiers are averaging 88.8 points per game but it will be tested against a tough Louisville defense.
The team that wins this matchup will have a big leg up in this one. Indiana’s leading scorer is James Blackmon, Jr. He is averaging 18.5 points per game and shooting 50.7 percent from the field, while adding 5.4 rebounds per contest.
Indiana’s best shooter is OG Anunoby, as he is averaging 12.0 points per game and connecting on 60.3 percent of his field goal. The Hoosiers’ top five scorers are all shooting at least 50 percent from the field, which is a pretty remarkable feat.
However, much of that came against inferior competition as the Cardinals are a different animal with their length and athleticism. Indiana also shoots 40.1 percent from three-point range and will look for that type of accuracy from downtown.
Player to Watch
Quentin Snider -- Louisville’s leading scorer could play a big role in the outcome. When he is playing well, it usually portends good things for the Cardinals. Snider is averaging 11.9 points and 3.9 assists per game on the year.
He only had eight points on 2-of-5 shooting last time out in the loss to Virginia and hopes to improve in this one. Snider is shooting only 35.1 percent from the field this season and hopes to shoot a better percentage as the season goes on.
Free College Basketball ATS Picks
Louisville is a tough team which will scrap from start to finish, and if it can force Indiana into a lot of turnovers it will help take the crowd out of it. The Hoosiers have been inconsistent this season, knocking off some heavyweights while also falling to some inferior opponents.
The Hoosiers have some high-end capability but need to get out of a funk after losing two of their past four. Louisville is aiming to shake off a recent loss but that streak is going to hit two in this one.
Indiana is skilled enough in the halfcourt to overcome Louisville’s defense and come away with this victory.
College Basketball Odds: Indiana 77, Louisville 71
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