Louisville Cardinals Odds to Win the 2009 NCAA Tournament

Written March 25, 2009 by Jay Horne

The Louisville Cardinals are currently listed at 4.5 to 1 odds to win the NCAA Championship. Louisville is one of the most intriguing top seeds considering the path they have taken this season. The Cardinals were on the losing side a huge early season upset when they dropped their 3rd game to Western Kentucky in a big 68-54 loss. The defeat dropped the Cardinals from number 3 to outside the Top 10 ranking in the country. After a few more unexpected losses to Minnesota and UNLV, the Cardinals nearly dropped out of the Top 25 and most people were to the conclusion that they were simply not as good as predicted. Louisville got off to a mediocre 18-5 start and appeared just to be an above average team out of the brutal Big East. However, the second part of the season would be all Louisville as they would surge to win 10 straight games to close out the season.

The Cardinals 10 straight wins to end the season came up big in many ways. With some help from Pittsburgh taking down Connecticut twice, the Cardinals wrapped up the Big East regular season Championship. Louisville backed up their title by winning the Big East Tournament as silencing all those who had criticized them earlier this year by winning two championships in the toughest conference in America. The Cardinals strong run to end the season captured them the number 1 ranking in America by the time the final polls were released leading up to the NCAA Tournament. As an equal show of respect the NCAA selection committee named Louisville the overall number 1 seed in the Tournament and the Cardinals have been impressive in their march to the sweet sixteen as well.

Louisville hard fight through the Big East this season was a rather remarkable come from behind story. The conference known for high scoring offenses was actually conquered by Louisville who ironically is not an offensive team. The Cardinals success on the court this season revolved mainly around the play of the defense. Louisville held opponents to only 61.7 points per game this season while holding opponents to shooting a mere 39% from the floor. Each one of those strong statistics ranked inside the top 40 in America and the Cardinals shut down some of the most potent offenses in America in quest to their conference championship run. The defense has played strong as well in the early rounds of the NCAA Tournament and it could give Louisville the advantage in the long run. Bet on Louisville at +450 to win the NCAA Championship at BetUS.

The Cardinals offensive weapons have come in a trio of athletes this season. Louisville has numerous threats that deserve respect every trip on the floor. Terrence Williams and Samardo Samuels are big time forwards who are both averaging 12 points per game. Williams holds down the rebounds very well posting 9 boards per contest. However, Earl Clark leads the Louisville offense averaging 13 points per game. These stellar standouts have gotten the job done all year and they will try to put an exclamation point on their season by leading the Cardinals to a National Championship. Louisville road to get to the Title game is a tough road. Louisville is a part of perhaps the most difficult bracket in the tournament and will get the winner of Kansas and Michigan State if they are to advance to the Elite Eight. However, the Cardinals strong play has yet to show any signs of slowing down and they have not been beat since the first week of February.

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