The Clemson Tigers (+50,000 to win the national title) are yet to return to the Top 25 AP Poll rankings, but if they could have a good week, which also means a win over the No. 16 Louisville Cardinals, they should be back inside the list as soon as the next update of poll. The Cardinals (+8,000) have no plans of getting their record blemished by Clemson, so expect them to put up a fight at home this weekend, especially if they lose to the No. 2 Duke Blue Devils this Tuesday.
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Betting Preview for the Clemson Tigers vs. Louisville Cardinals College Basketball Game on February 16, 2019
Where: KFC Yum Center, Louisville
When: Saturday, February 16, 2019, 12:00 PM ET
Line: Clemson Tigers (odds) vs. Louisville Cardinals (odds) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Clemson Tigers (15-8 Overall / 5-5 Conference)
Clemson is busy collecting wins in the ACC of late. Prior to a meeting with the Miami Hurricanes this Wednesday, the Tigers have victimized four opponents in a row, a stretch that includes a huge 59-51 home win over the No. 11 Virginia Tech Hokies last Saturday. It’s Clemson’s best win of the season thus far, and it’s been the team’s sharp-toothed defense that has been the largest reason for the Tigers’ surge. As of this writing, the Tigers have allowed just 43.3 points over their last three games, which is way better than their season scoring defense average of 64.0 (which is still pretty good). That was very much apparent in the Hokies game in which Clemson held Virginia Tech down to only 28.3 percent shooting from the field.
Clemson, limited opposing teams to shoot just 29.1 percent last week, is 2-1 straight up (SU) in its last three games against Louisville.
Betting on the Louisville Cardinals (17-7 Overall / 8-3 Conference)
Like the Tigers, Louisville also dealt the Hokies a loss, winning one over Virginia Tech last week on the road, 72-64. That preceded a heart-wrenching 80-75 overtime loss in Tallahassee to the Florida State Seminoles last Saturday. The Cardinals had a six-point lead at the half of that game and also had a 10-point lead at one moment in the second half, but just couldn’t hold on to preserve what would have been a huge resume-boosting win. In any case, junior forward Dwayne Sutton is showing that there’s more to the Cardinals’ offense than just teammate Jordan Nwora. Sutton is averaging 11.0 points per game on the season, but has scored at least 14 points in four of the Cardinals’ last four games. He had in a losing effort against the No. 19 North Carolina Tar Heels and 17 against the Hokies. He’s been stroking it well from deep with 13 3-pointers on 24 attempts over that span.
Louisville is 3-0 SU and 2-1 against the spread (ATS) in its last three home games against Clemson.
Writer’s Prediction
Louisville wins, 69-64.
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