Louisville at Georgetown – Hoyas on Hard Times

NCAA Basketball Sports Betting

Louisville Cardinals (21-5 SU, 16-10 ATS) at Georgetown Hoyas (14-11 SU, 8-12-1 ATS)

BetOnline NCAA Basketball Odds:  LOUISVILLE -1.5

Here are some of the NCAA basketball betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* LOU has covered four of its last five games

* LOU has won 13 of its last 15 games SU

* LOU has played four of its last five games OVER the total

* LOU has won and covered six of its last seven road games

* GEO is 2-7-1 ATS in its last ten games

* GEO has lost eight of its last ten games SU

* GEO has covered one of its last seven home games

* GEO has won 19 of its last 25 home games SU

* GEO has played four of its last six home games OVER the total

Georgetown has lost three of its last four games, by a total of 12 points. The home loss to Cincinnati, where Georgetown did not crack 41% shooting, was unquestionably a disappointment as the Bearcats are another team that will likely be on the outside looking in when it comes to NCAA tournament time.

However, a six-point loss to talent-laden Marquette was no shame, nor was a four point loss at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse. The Hoyas have shot well in those games, hitting 49% against Syracuse and 51% against Marquette, not to mention a sizzling 58% against South Florida in a 25-point win. So what you have here is a team that is going to show some desperation, is shooting better than it has in the past and can still defend in a very respectable fashion (allowing less than 41% from the field). We know that the performance against USF was not necessarily a barometer, but allowing 32% in that game was an indication of what they can do if they come out motivated.

Louisville has been a sharp club on the road this season (6-2 ATS) but they’re in a tough situation here, if you want to use their February 12 game as a reference. There, in visiting Notre Dame, a team that was really sliding – and really desperate – the Cards took it on the chin in a 90-57 defeat, behind lousy 39% marksmanship. They came back with a 45-point win over DePaul, but they are not going to duplicate the 18 three-pointers they hit in that one.
 
We’re going to look for Georgetown to summon all its emotion tonight, rise to the occasion and perhaps catch Louisville a little flat. We’ll take the points with the Hoyas, the 1.5-point underdog in the BetOnline Sportsbook.

JAY’S PLAY:  GEORGETOWN +1.5 ***
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

(Charles Jay makes his share of shots from downtown as a contributor to the BetOnline Locker Room)