Saturday college basketball odds: No. 5 Louisville at Georgetown

Former No. 1 team Louisville looks to end a two-game slide and stay within shouting distance of Big East leader Syracuse as the Cardinals visits Georgetown on Saturday. Check our current lines.

Louisville was beaten at home last Saturday by Syracuse and then was upset 73-64 at Villanova on Tuesday. Peyton Siva had 15 points and 13 assists for the Cardinals and Wayne Blackshear scored 17 points. The Cardinals didn’t play like a team that was just the No. 1 team in the country. The Cardinals, a 71 percent free throw shooting team, were 12 of 24 from the line and shot 40 percent from the field. The Cardinals led 52-46 with 8:25 left in the game but only scored 12 points the rest of the way. Louisville is second nationally in turnover margin (+7.2). The Cards have forced an average of 19.6 turnovers a game, scoring 468 of their 1439 points off turnovers (33%).

Louisville’s 16-3 record matches its second best start since the Cardinals also opened with a 16-3 record in the 2008-09 season. The Cardinals were 14-5 through 19 games last season. It is the fifth time the Cards have won 16 of their first 19 games under U of L Coach Rick Pitino.

Georgetown (13-4, 3-3) upset No. 24 Notre Dame 63-47 on Monday in South Bend. Otto Porter scored 19 points and Georgetown held the Irish to a season-low 35 percent shooting, handing Notre Dame its third loss in four games. It was a dismal night for Notre Dame’s offense, which recorded season lows in points, field goal percentage (35 percent) and assists (11). The Irish went on long stretches without scoring in both halves, while Georgetown shot 53 percent from the field.

Porter leads the Hoyas in scoring (14.6 ppg) and rebounding (7.7 rpg). Georgetown, which ranks third in the Big East in field goal percentage (.462), is No. 43 in the ratings percentage index and No. 35 in the Sagarin Ratings through games of Jan. 23. Georgetown, which has no seniors on its roster this season, has an 8-4 series advantage over Louisville. The Hoyas have won the last three matchups, including a 71-68 victory over the Cardinals in the Big East Conference opener last season as Markel Starks scored 20 to lead Georgetown (12/28/11).

Louisville has the most road victories in Big East Conference games over the last six years (34; two this year; five last year, three in 2010-11, four in ‘09-10, eight of nine in 2008-09, and six in each of the previous two years). Overall, U of L has a 40-23 record over the last six years on their opponent’s home court.

WagerWeb.com trends: Hoyas are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600. Hoyas are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games following a ATS win. Cardinals are 3-0-1 ATS in the last 4 meetings in Georgetown. Underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings. Road team is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings.