Kentucky Wildcats vs Louisville Cardinals Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Louisville vs Kentucky NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Lexington.

Louisville vs Kentucky Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Cardinals versus the Wildcats? Tip off is at at 5:15 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN. The game will be played at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 159.5 points, and Kentucky is favored by -10.5 at home against Louisville.

Louisville vs. Kentucky Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Louisville Cardinals at Kentucky Wildcats
Where: Lexington at Rupp Arena
Date: Saturday, December 14th
Betting Odds UK -10.5, LOU +440 | UK -628 O/U 159.5

Cardinals Preview: Do the Cardinals Have a Shot at a Road Win?

Louisville improved to 6-4 on the season with a 77-74 win over UTEP on Wednesday. The Cardinals were -14.5 favorites at home but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 151 exceeded the over/under line of 144.5.

Louisville trailed 36-32 at halftime but turned things around in the second half, outscoring UTEP 45-38 to secure the win.

Cardinals Offense Breakdown

Louisville's offense put up 77 points in their last game, despite shooting just 39.7% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 44.8%, largely due to their struggles from beyond the arc, where they hit only 6 of 34 attempts, shooting 17.6%. However, they were efficient inside, connecting on 70.8% of their two-point shots.

The Cardinals also made 25 of 34 free throws, shooting 73.5% from the line, and grabbed 16 offensive rebounds. Terrence Edwards Jr. led the team with 22 points, while Corey Camper Jr. added 19 points and 3 assists. Ahamad Bynum was a standout from three-point range, hitting 4 of 5 attempts.

Cardinals Team Defense

Louisville's defense gave up 74 points, with the opposing team shooting 39% from the field. They allowed 17 two-point field goals on 24 attempts, a 70% success rate.

From beyond the arc, the Cardinals held the other team to 6/34 shooting, just 17%. They also sent them to the free-throw line 34 times, where they made 25 free throws, a 73% rate.

Wildcats Preview: Will the Wildcats Make it Happen at Home?

Kentucky moved to 9-1 on the season with a 78-67 win over Colgate on Wednesday. The Wildcats were heavy favorites at -32 but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game came in at 145, under the O/U line of 155.5.

Kentucky led 38-36 at halftime and tightened up defensively in the 2nd half, holding Colgate to 31 points while scoring 40 themselves.

Wildcats Offense Breakdown

Kentucky put up 78 points in their last game, shooting 42.9% from the field and 32.3% from beyond the arc, hitting 10 threes on 31 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 50%, and they connected on 51.3% of their two-point shots.

Koby Brea and Parker Jones led the way with 17 points each, with Brea hitting 5 of 8 threes and Jones going 4 of 7 from deep. Amari Williams also contributed 15 points, shooting 75% from the field and grabbing 8 rebounds.

Wildcats Team Defense

Kentucky's defense gave up 67 points, with the opposing team shooting 42% from the field on 30 of 70 attempts. Inside the arc, they allowed 20 two-point baskets on 39 attempts, a 51% shooting rate.

From three-point range, the opposition hit 10 of 31 shots, shooting 32%. At the free-throw line, they went 8 for 13, hitting 61% of their attempts. Kentucky also gave up 16 offensive rebounds.

Cardinals vs Wildcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last ten games away from home, the Cardinals have a straight up record of 1-9 while going 5-5 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 72 points per game in these contests.
In their last ten games at home, the Wildcats have a straight up record of 6-4 while going 5-5 vs. the spread. The team averaged 78 points per game in this stretch.
Spanning across their last three games as the betting underdog, the Cardinals have gone 2-1 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.
In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Wildcats have a straight up record of 4-1, while going 1-4 against the spread.