The Louisville Cardinals will be looking for their first win of the season when they face the Appalachian State Mountaineers on Tuesday night. Louisville has lost a pair of games by one point, falling to Bellarmine and Wright State. Appalachian State has won its first two games this year, beating Warren Wilson and NC Central.
Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET. The Cardinals are favored by 5.5 points in the latest Louisville vs. App State odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under is set at 137.5. Before entering any Appalachian State vs. Louisville picks, you'll want to see the college basketball predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past six-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated more than $1,200 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anybody who has followed it has seen profitable returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Louisville vs. App. State. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds for Louisville vs. App. State:
- Louisville vs. App. State spread: Louisville -5.5
- Louisville vs. App. State over/under: 137.5 points
- Louisville vs. App. State money line: Louisville -230, App. State +190
- Louisville vs. App. State picks: See picks here
Why Louisville can cover
Louisville has lost a pair of games by a single point under first-year head coach Kenny Payne, including a buzzer-beating loss to Wright State on Saturday. The Cardinals are facing an Appalachian State team that is going on the road for the first time this season and is coming off an overtime win, which could lead to some lingering fatigue. The Mountaineers have struggled to make this leap in competition in recent years, losing seven straight games against ACC teams.
Guard El Ellis has emerged as Louisville's top player so far this year, averaging 21.5 points per game through his first two contests. Junior forward Jae'Lyn Withers is off to a strong start as well, scoring 16.0 points and grabbing 6.5 rebounds per game. The Cardinals have won 10 straight games against Sun Belt teams, as their talent is generally too much for teams like App State to handle.
Why Appalachian State can cover
Louisville has been favored by a similar number of points in each of its first two games, which both resulted in disappointing losses. The Cardinals have not proven that they are capable of winning this type of game with margin, making them a team to avoid until they develop chemistry under a new coaching staff. Appalachian State has some momentum coming into this game, as it can get off to a 3-0 start for the first time since the 1997-98 season.
The Mountaineers lead the nation in blocked shots, racking up 19 of them in their first two games. True freshman Justin Abson has made an immediate impact, averaging four blocks and 6.5 rebounds to open his career. Appalachian State is playing under fourth-year head coach Dustin Kerns, giving the Mountaineers an advantage against a Louisville team that is going through a transition period.
How to make Louisville vs. Appalachian State picks
The model has simulated App State vs. Louisville 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Under, and it's also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in almost 70% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Louisville vs. App State? And which side of the spread hits almost 70% of the time? Visit SportsLine to see which side of the App State vs. Louisville spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up over $1,200 on its college basketball picks the last six years, and find out.
