Louisville Cardinals versus California Golden Bears CBS TV NCAA Tournament College Basketball Sports Betting Odds Pick Preview

Published on March 16, 2010 by admin · No Comments

It will be another Big East versus Pac 10 conference showdown in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament when the Louisville Cardinals lock up with the California Bears on Friday night. Tip off time at the Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville Florida is set for 9:55PM Eastern Time with national television coverage provided by CBS.

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This first round NCAA Tournament game opened up with the California Golden Bears as a 1 point betting favorite with the over under coming in at 143.

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The bettors have come in early on the side of the Big East, as the Louisville Cardinals are currently a 1-½ point favorite. The total has seen the movement heavily towards the over, as the game is now lined at 150 ½.

Money line gamblers on the side of the favored Louisville Cardinals will find –115 odds with the underdog California Golden Bears bringing back -105 to pull off the victory without the need for taking points on their side.

The clubs are battling for their first meeting on Friday night.

We will base our stats on how each team performed against NCAA Tournament competitors.

Louisville ended their regular season with a 20-12 overall record and 11-7 in Big East conference play. Louisville faced 12 teams in the NCAA Tournament and went 5-7. The Cardinals averaged 70.3 points per game and allowed 68.3. The Big East School hit on 42.3% of their shots while allowing 41.1%. The team hit on 35% of their three pointers and 67.9% at the charity stripe.

California enters the NCAA Tournament with a 23-10 record and 13-5 in the Pac 10 conference. The Golden Bears were the Pac 10 regular season champions and qualified as an at large team. The club faced 9 teams in the NCAA tournament and went just 3-6 straight up. The Golden Bears in those games averaged 76.7 points while allowing 79.3. The team hit on 43.2% of their shots while allowing 44.5%. Cal converted on 36.4% from the three-point line and hit 71.5% on the free throw line.

Louisville stumbled down the stretch losing 3 of 5 entering the dance. The team began play in the Big East conference tournament and lost 69-66 to Cincinnati as a 6-point favorite. Despite allowing just 34.7% shooting to the Bearcats, Cincinnati dominated the glass by out rebounding the Cardinals by a 46-29 margin.

California played very well down the stretch winning 6 of their past 7 games to conclude the regular season play. The team began play in the Pac 10 conference tournament with a 90-74 blowout win against Oregon as an 11 point betting favorite. They then followed up that performance with an 85-72 win against UCLA as an 8 point favorite. In both games the Golden Bears shot well hitting on 54.1% against Oregon and 60% against the Bruins. But in the Pac 10 conference final the Golden Bears could only make 41.7% of their shots in a 79-75 loss to the Washington Huskies for the Pac 10 conference tournament championship.

Trend: California Golden Bears are 6-1 ATS in their past 7 games

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