Pitt at Louisville: Game Info, Odds, Three Storylines
PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers emerged from a brutal four-game stretch early in ACC play with their postseason dreams still very much intact.
With those contests against Carolina, Virginia, Duke and Clemson well in the rearview, the Panthers pulled off a road win over Georgia Tech and will try to improve on their sterling road record in conference play when they travel to face Louisville.
Game Info
Opponent: Louisville (2-16 overall, 0-7 ACC)
Time: 7:00 PM EST
Location: KFCYum! Center; Louisville, Kentucky
Broadcast: ACC Network and 93.7 The Fan
Odds
The Panthers are 10.5-point favorites over the Cardinals - the heaviest advantage oddsmakers have given them all season. Pitt is -550 on the moneyline and Louisville can be had for +400 odds. The point total line is set at 140.5.
Three Storylines
Record Bad Pace
Louisville is experiencing what could generously be described as a difficult season. If the 2-16 record didn't tell you enough, their 281st ranking in KenPom should. They are by far the lowest-rated team in the Power 5 with plenty of room to sink further.
The Cardinals are winless in the ACC through seven games - nearly half of the conference schedule for the season - and are on pace to sink even lower than the infamously bad 2018 Pitt Panthers.
Pitt has everything to gain and Louisville has nothing to lose, which makes this an especially dangerous game for the Panthers.
Stop Streaking
The Panthers have lost 11 straight and 12 of the 13 total games played against Louisville on their home court. For as poor as the Cardinals have been this season, it hasn't always been that way. Usually, they've been the bully in this series - they own a 13-2 record against Pitt since the two schools joined the ACC.
This will be another litmus test for the Panthers. Just how far has Jeff Capel's rebuild come? Are there ghosts in Kentucky that haunt Pitt or can they break a long losing streak as they did against Virginia? Time to find out.
Legal Defense
If there's one thing the Cardinals do well, it's get to the free throw line. They are 44th in Division I in free throw rate and shoot 71% from the charity stripe as a team, which makes drawing fouls their best offense.
Pitt, on the other hand, has struggled to contain their foul trouble at times and it has cost them dearly. Against Clemson, Duke and Georgia Tech, the Panthers have had to rely on young players in their thin frontcourt because starters were baited into multiple early fouls.
Keeping the Cardinals off the free throw line starts with communication and effort - making sure everyone stays in front of their own man means less rotation and scrambling defense is necessary.
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