Road games are always tricky propositions in college basketball, particularly in conference play. The Louisville Cardinals have already played games at Michigan State and Kentucky, but neither one was won. Games against teams like the North Carolina State Wolfpack are expected to be won, but the challenge will understandably be tough.
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HOW THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS CAN COVER THE SPREAD
Damion Lee played his butt off against Kentucky the day after Christmas. He scored 27 points to lead all scorers for the Cards, but it wasn't quite enough for the upset. Instead, what we learned about Louisville is that it isn't a great perimeter defensive team. Granted, the Wolfpack don't have future NBA stars like the Wildcats, but they can still shoot the three-ball incredibly well.
Louisville's Achilles' heel might come from downtown where the team allows foes to shoot 30.7 percent. Here on the road, shutting down Cat Barber is going to be the key. If Barber starts to take over this game as the Kentucky guards did down the stretch, Louisville is probably going to end up having a meltdown.
The Cardinals will have to keep this game manageable and not let it get out of hand. Chinanu Onuaku isn't made to run the floor, and now that Mangok Mathiang is out until at least February injured, he's going to be asked to do a lot more.
HOW THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE WOLFPACK CAN COVER THE SPREAD
The shooting percentages for the Wolfpack aren't special at this point in the season. Barber is only good for 41.5 percent from the field and 29.7 percent from downtown, but he's still one of the top scorers in the nation at 22.9 points per game.
Maverick Rowan and Caleb Martin could be great three-point shooters as well, but neither one is really lighting it up at this point.
The real issue for the Wolfpack comes aside from these three men. Abdul-Malik Abu, Beejay Anja, Lennard Freeman and Cody Martin are all basically the same player with no outside game to speak of, so if the "Big Three" don't have great games, there isn't any chance whatsoever at this upset.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
NCSU is going to pick off some good teams this year, and it could ultimately make a claim to dance if it can find a way to win nine games in conference play. Barber has scored at least 21 in five straight games, and he sat for a total of one minute in those five clashes.
He'll be asked to do it all once again for the Wolfpack, and if he does, they'll win this game.
Louisville has proven to us that it's going to be a Final Four threat this year, but that threat won't be realized until it's healthy. We think its first trip on the road since the loss at Kentucky is going to be a really tough one. The Wolfpack matchup well with the Cards, and the oddsmakers will probably show that by making them just short underdogs in this one.
This upset will feel a lot bigger in real life than we as gamblers know what it really is.
North Carolina State 78, Louisville 73
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Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here, so start betting with BookMaker today! The game between the Louisville Cardinals and the North Carolina State Wolfpack is scheduled for Thursday, January 7, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. ET at PNC Arena. Catch the game live on ESPN2.
