College Basketball Odds: Louisville Betting Favorites vs Cincinnati

Second round action in the Big East Tournament continues tonight as Louisville takes on Cincinnati in a game that can be seen on ESPN at 9:00pm EST. The Cardinals had a bye yesterday while Cincinnati just got past Rutgers as 8 point favorites in college basketball odds. Louisville is a 6-point favorite at online sportsbooks in this match-up against the Bearcats with a betting total of 138. Louisville comes into the Big East Tournament playing well having won seven of their last ten games. They beat Syracuse in their regular season finale and actually beat the Orange twice this season. In college basketball betting odds for this series, Louisville holds a 53-39 advantage over Cincinnati.

The Cardinals beat the Bearcats 68-60 earlier this season. Louisville is the defending Big East Tournament champs but this season they enter as the sixth seed. “This conference is so competitive it’s scary,” said head coach Rick Pitino. “I was just watching St. John’s and DePaul play the other night and I was like, ‘You got to be kidding me. These are teams we are going to have to beat to defend our title.’” The Cardinals now have to beat Cincinnati again. “It doesn’t matter who we play in the first round or the second or any given day,” said Louisville guard Jerry Smith. “In the Big East, if you’re not focused you’re going to lose—plain and simple.”

Cincinnati just barely got past Rutgers last night as Lance Stephenson made one of two free throws with 1.8 seconds remaining to give the Bearcats a 69-68 win in college basketball odds. Stephenson was the Big East Rookie of the Year and he had 13 points, nine rebounds and five assists to lead Cincinnati. "That's why I came to Cincinnati -- to change the program around, play hard and just win games," said Stephenson. The winner of this game will meet West Virginia in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

Cincinnati really has not played well recently. They are 7-23 vs. the college basketball odds in their last 30 games overall. The Bearcats are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games as an underdog. The Bearcats are 5-21 in their last 26 vs. the Big East.  The Cardinals are 47-23-2 in their last 72 vs. Big East. The Cardinals are 5-11 ATS in their last 16 games overall. The Cardinals are 0-5 in their last 5 games as a favorite. The Under is 6-2-1 in college basketball betting for the Cardinals last 9 overall. The Under is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings between Cincinnati and Louisville. Vegas odds at the Hilton sportsbook have the Louisville Cardinals -6 favorites against the Cincinnati Bearcats with a total of 137.