The fifth-ranked Louisville Cardinals (19-3, 10-1 ACC) and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (10-11, 3-8 ACC) battle at KFC Yum! Center. The Cardinals are a 15.5-point favorite and will attempt to extend their eight-game winning streak. The game’s Over/Under (O/U) opened at 142 points and it will air on ESPN2 at 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday, February 5, 2020.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Louisville Cardinals ATS Odds
Both teams covered in their last contest. The Cardinals (4.5-point favorites) defeated the North Carolina State Wolfpack 77-57, while the Demon Deacons (2-point underdog) beat the Clemson Tigers 56-44. The Louisville game went 6.5 points under the projected point total of 140.5, while the Wake Forest game finished 39 points under the projected point total of 139.
Wake Forest played a perfect game. They had a free throw rate of 0.200 (matching their season average) and an effective field goal percentage of 0.409 (below their season average of 0.481). Clemson put up marks of 0.068 and 0.339, respectively, for those same stats. The Cardinals, on the other hand, had a fantastic effective field goal percentage of 0.609 (above their season average of 0.533) and had a better offensive rebounding percentage (29.6 vs. 25.6). Ryan McMahon had a solid game for Louisville with 23 points. Olivier Sarr played well for Wake Forest, recording seven points and 13 rebounds.
The Cardinals won the sole game between these two teams last year, 82-54. Louisville’s 0.607 effective field goal percentage was its biggest advantage over Wake Forest, who had a rate of 0.279. This will be the first matchup of the year between these two teams.
Demon Deacons games tend to finish over the total (71.4 percent). Wake Forest heads into the game with records of 10-11 straight up (SU) and 11-10 against the spread (ATS).
Vegas has typically been fairly accurate when predicting totals of Cardinals games, with 11 overs compared to 10 unders. Moreover, Louisville is 19-3 SU and 13-9 ATS.
Louisville could have their way on the defensive side of the ball as they face off against one of the worst offenses in the NCAA. The Cardinals currently rank seventh in effective field goal percentage allowed (0.429), while Wake Forest is 274th in effective field goal percentage (0.478).
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Louisville Cardinals Free Pick
Free Prediction: SU Winner – Louisville, ATS Winner – Wake Forest, O/U – Over
Betting Notes:
- Louisville ranks 25th in assists allowed per game (10.2) while Wake Forest ranks 136th (12.7).
- The Cardinals average 39.8 rebounds per game, which ranks 29th in the NCAA. The Demon Deacons rank 139th in rebounds allowed per game (35.1).
- Wake Forest ranks 154th in three pointers allowed per game (21.9) while Louisville ranks 235th (24.3).
- Louisville is 7-6 ATS at home, while Wake Forest is 6-5 ATS on the road.
- The total has gone over in 7 of the Demon Deacons’ 11 road games, while 7 of the Cardinals’ 13 home games have gone under.
Bettings Trends:
- In their last five games, Wake Forest and Louisville are both 4-1 ATS.
- The Demon Deacons have 4 overs and 1 under over their last five games, while the Cardinals have 3 overs and 2 unders
- During their last five games, the Demon Deacons have scored an average of 69.4 points per game (2.2 below their season average) and allowed an average of 66.4 points per game (5.7 below their season average).
- The Cardinals’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 13.0, down from 13.0 for the season.
