The Cardinals will try to cover the spread at KFC Yum! Center on Saturday when they get a visit from the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in college basketball action.

The Scarlet Knights will try to spoil to the party on Saturday; they are 7-10 ATS against the number this season, while the Cardinals are 10-8-1 ATS. Rutgers is 6-11 on the totals; Louisville is 8-10-1.



View Rutgers vs Louisville Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
The visitors opened as 10.5-point underdogs in this one at most sportsbooks tracked at Odds Shark.

Power Rankings / Prediction:
According to new college basketball power rankings here, it's the No. 21-ranked Cardinals and the No. 90-rated Scarlet Knights in this matchup. Computer formulas aimed at predicting NCAAB scores point to a 75-69 win for the Cardinals on Saturday.



How They Match Up:
The game also pits Louisville's No. 111-ranked offense, averaging 71 PPG, against a Scarlet Knights defense that ranks No. 90 at 63.7 PPG. The Cardinals field goal percentage has averaged 43.6% so far, less than the Scarlet Knights marksmen have achieved on the year, 43.8% per game.

Defensively, Rutgers features the nation's No. 63-rated defense on the road, allowing 64.9 points per game. Louisville, meanwhile, comes in at No. 129 nationally in scoring at home.

Last time out for Rutgers, they were a 78-67 loser as they battled Providence on the road. They failed to cover in the match as a 1.5-point underdog. The Scarlet Knights endured a 78-67 loss at the hands of the Friars on Wednesday, despite a 16-point effort from Myles Mack at Dunkin Donuts Center.

Louisville was a 60-51 Sportsbook in their most recent outing on the road against Seton Hall. They covered the 1-point spread as underdogs. The Cardinals got 14 points from Russ Smith as Louisville ran past Seton Hall 60-51 on Saturday at Prudential Center.


Rutgers Scarlet Knights Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
Before playing Seton Hall are 4-6
After playing Providence are 2-8
After a loss are 6-4

Louisville Cardinals Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 8-2
Before playing Connecticut are 7-3
After playing Seton Hall are 7-0
After a win are 7-3

A few Scarlet Knights at Cardinals trends to consider:
Rutgers is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Louisville is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Rutgers
Louisville is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games at home
Louisville is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Louisville's last 7 games


Next up:
Rutgers home to Seton Hall, Wednesday, February 8
Louisville home to Connecticut, Monday, February 6