NCAA Prediction: Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Louisville Cardinals
Saturday, January 07, 2012
by Frank Martin
Still in search of its first victory away from home this season, Notre Dame Fighting Irish continues a heated rivalry when it travels to No. 10 Louisville Cardinals on Saturday afternoon.
Notre Dame is 0-4 in true road games, including a 71-55 defeat at Cincinnati on Wednesday.
Louisville, meanwhile, snapped a two-game losing streak Tuesday by earning a 73-58 win at St. John's.
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Louisville Cardinals
When: 4:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 7, 2012
Where: KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, Kentucky
TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPNU, ESPN3.com
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SBG Global Sportsbook currently have the Cardinals listed as 12½-point favorites versus the Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9-6): The Fighting Irish have had eight different players lead the team in scoring through their first 15 games, with the all-sophomore backcourt of Eric Atkins (13.5 ppg, 3.8 apg) and Jerian Grant (13.1 ppg, 4.7 apg) producing consistently. Junior power forward Jack Cooley has been Notre Dame's top inside presence, averaging 9.8 points and 8.4 rebounds. The Irish take good care of the ball, ranking third in Division I with just 9.9 turnovers per game.
Louisville Cardinals (13-2): The Cardinals have flourished thanks to a defense that ranks seventh nationally in steals (9.9) and also boasts one of the country's top shot blockers in sophomore center Gorgui Dieng (10.3 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 3.3 bpg). Opponents are averaging just 58.7 points and shooting 35.9 percent from the floor. An inconsistent but balanced offense is led by senior small forward Kyle Kuric (12.9 ppg) and sophomore reserve shooting guard Russ Smith (12.6).
1. Louisville leads the all-time series, 17-10, including a 5-3 edge since it joined the Big East in 2005-06.
2. Four of the last five meetings have gone to overtime, including each of the last three. The Cardinals edged the Fighting Irish, 83-77, in last year's Big East Tournament.
3. The Fighting Irish are 1-9 in games played in Louisville, with the lone win coming in 1958.
BASKETBALL PREDICTION: Cardinals 71, Fighting Irish 56.
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eric atkins - gorgui dieng - jack cooley - jerian grant - kfc yum! center - kyle kuric - louisville cardinals - notre dame fighting irish - russ smith
