Texas Tech vs. Louisville Odds
| Texas Tech Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-10 -110 | 130.5 -110o / -110u | -500 |
| Louisville Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+10 -110 | 130.5 -110o / -110u | +375 |
The hope and motivation of winning a Maui Invitational title may be gone for the Red Raiders and the Cardinals. But they can still benefit greatly in the consolation bracket, as they have a chance to see some strong competition early in the season.
And boy do they need it.
Texas Tech kept it close with the Bluejays in the first half. The Red Raiders went to the half tied, and things looked hopeful. But once Creighton found its rhythm, it didn't take long for it to pull away. The Bluejays went on to win the game by 11.
Louisville, meanwhile, couldn't have asked Arkansas to play a worse game. The Razorbacks shot just 46.2% from the field in the first half, they turned the ball over 16 times and the Hogs' second-leading scorer Trevon Brazile had just one point the whole game.
But Louisville, yet again, found a way to lose. The Cardinals shot just 36.4% from the floor, gave the ball away 22 times and had long scoring droughts throughout the game.
The 0-4 start to the season marks the worst start for Louisville since the 1940-41 season.
And that's not the only history it made.
For the first time since the assist became a stat in college basketball, the Cardinals were the first team to ever record more than 20 turnovers and less than five assists in a game.
Is there any chance Louisville can turn things around, or even keep up with Texas Tech for that matter?
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Sure, it lost the game vs. Creighton, but Texas Tech didn't by any means play poorly. The Bluejays are just that good.
In the first half, Creighton racked up 13 turnovers, and the Red Raiders led by as many as seven points early on. Daniel Batcho had the best game of his career, putting up 17 points for Tech.
And while Creighton really took over in the second half, it was still a solid performance for the Red Raiders.
Texas Tech's defense has been its best asset so far this season, and that continued against the Bluejays.
What was really great to see from the Red Raiders was their offensive output against a solid defensive test. Four different played scored in double digits for Texas Tech, with Jaylon Tyson just missing the cut (nine points).
Texas Tech also posted a season low when it comes to turnovers, and as I mentioned, forced Creighton into committing a season high. It wasn't enough to knock off the Bluejays, but it very well could be enough to hold off the lowly Cardinals.
Louisville Cardinals
Sometimes getting away from all the noise can help a team. After starting 0-3 at home on the season, many believed this trip to Maui might be exactly what the Cardinals needed to get things back on track.
They somehow drifted even further away from the track most thought this Louisville team would be on coming into the season, losing by 26 to the Razorbacks.
And while hope for the Cardinals fades more and more each game, there were some slight positives to take away. After three games, Kamari Lands finally had his first points of the season, and once he got going, he didn't stop.
Lands led the team in scoring against Arkansas. He also went perfect from the charity stripe and pulled down two rebounds. But outside of his performance, there was little to be excited about for the Cards.
This Louisville team is tough to watch. The biggest concern: I'm not sure how the Cardinals fix it. The team is struggling in all areas, and it's from top to bottom.
Sure, Lands seems to have taken a step forward, but it's going to take a lot more than just him. They've got less than 24 hours to try and refocus before they take on one of the toughest defensive teams in the country.
Texas Tech vs. Louisville Betting Pick
Both of these teams lost on Monday, but those losses came in very different fashions.
I think Tech actually improved on what I've seen from it so far this season, while Louisville, which I didn't think could get any worse, somehow made its season worse.
The Red Raiders are one of the top 20 teams in the country when it comes to Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, and I think that defense will overpower a Cardinals offense that continues to struggle.
Expect Tech to target Louisville's turnover issues, as well. The Cardinals are turning the ball over on 26.2% of possessions (one of the 10 worst teams in the country).
When it comes to betting on this game, I think you're safe backing Tech as high as a 15-point favorite. Both teams also rank outside the top 200 when it comes to Adjusted Tempo and struggle on the offensive end, so the under should be good at anything 133 or better.
However, there's one specific area of this game I'm targeting.
The Red Raiders are averaging 39.3 points per game in the first half so far this season, ranking them inside the top 50. Louisville, meanwhile, is 293rd in the nation, allowing an average 37.7 points in the first half.
Texas Tech is even better at limiting teams in the first half than it is at scoring, holding opponents to a 28th-best 26 points per game. The Cardinals again fall at the opposite end of the spectrum, averaging a 240th-worst 30.7 points in the first half.
It's a 24-hour turnaround to the next game for Tech, and even less for Louisville. I feel confident in the Tech defense to remain consistent in a less than ideal situation.
Back the Red Raiders in the first half as high as a seven-point favorite.
