Louisville basketball is back on the road for the last game of the regular season as the Cardinals have a huge opportunity to climb back in the AP Polls before the postseason begins. The Cards will face the No. 22 Miami Hurricanes in a marquee matchup to conclude the regular season, as Louisville has another chance to secure its first win on the road over a ranked opponent.
The Cardinals currently sit 21-9 on the season, but the story of the season has been their struggles on the road and against ranked opponents. Right now, Louisville has a 0-8 record in Quad 1A games, a 0-6 record against current ranked teams, and a 0-4 record against ranked teams on the road.
However, ESPN Analytics knows all that, but when looking at the Cardinals and these Miami Hurricanes, ESPN is sending Louisville some positive vibes as the Cardinals are the favorite despite their struggles on the road.
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ESPN Analytics gives Louisville basketball the early edge over Miami
Louisville is 3-7 on the road this season, and is 1-7 on the road against teams with above .500 records. Miami enters this game ranked No. 22 in the nation, making this a key test for the Cardinals as they look to close their regular season with a statement victory and build momentum heading into the postseason.
The Hurricanes sit at 23-6 on the season, including a 13-4 conference record and an impressive 15-2 home record. However, despite Miami’s dominant home record and the Cardinals' struggles on the road, ESPN is giving Louisville some good news as the Cardinals have a 62 percent chance of winning, according to ESPN Analytics.
The Cards need a big-time win on Saturday to boost their resume heading into the postseason, and Saturday gives Louisville one last opportunity to earn a marquee road win this season and to earn a road win over a ranked team. Louisville is currently on a three-game road losing streak, having lost to SMU, North Carolina, and Clemson, and in all three games, they were down by at least 12.
In every game on the road against a ranked opponent, the Cardinals have trailed by at least 16 and have lost by an average of 16 points. However, while the stats and the records aren’t on the Cardinals' side, ESPN Analytics are, and the Cardinals fans love the early edge over the Hurricanes as it gives them the much-needed confidence heading into Saturday.
Louisville fans will keep a close eye on Mikel Brown Jr., as his back was reinjured in the UNC loss, limiting him against Clemson and keeping him out against Syracuse. With the postseason tipping off next week, a win over No. 22 Miami would give this team a lot of momentum heading into the ACC Tournament and, hopefully, spark a big March run.
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