College Hoops Picks: Louisville Cardinals @ Syracuse Orange

Preview

After starting the season on a very surprisingly high note and losing only one non-conference game on a 60-foot buzzer-beater, the Syracuse Orange (No. 8 AP, No. 8 Coaches, 5-2, 17-3) have gone 1-2 in their last three games.

They started conference play relatively light, with none of their first four opponents being near the upper echelon of the Big East (in fact, none of their first four Big East opponents were even ranked, if you can believe that).

Since then, though, their level of competition has improved and their record shows that they may not have been ready for what the Big East truly has to offer.

Louisville (No. 9 AP, No. 12 Coaches, 5-0, 14-3) started the season completely opposite from the Orange. With a light non-conference schedule, the Cardinals managed to somehow muster up three losses to the likes of Western Kentucky, Minnesota, and UNLV—not terrible opponents, but not something you would expect from a team ranked third in the preseason polls.

But Coach Pitino has fired up his players and turned their season around—it seems like talk of an overrated team that has no chance to make a run for the Big East title has gone out the window. At the same time, talk of the Orange being the team to beat has altogether disappeared too.

Sunday's game will tell us if we should begin chatting about the Orange again or if the Cardinals have a legitimate shot.

Stats

	Record	Conf	ATS	RPI	SOS	PF	PA
Louisville	14-3	5-0	9-7	11	10	75.2	60.7
Syracuse	17-3	5-2	8-8	12	28	80.5	68.9

	FG%	D. FG%	3P%	D. 3P%	FT%	RPG	SPG	APG
Louisville	43.6	38.2	33.9	31.4	66.0	42.8	8.9	16.3
Syracuse	50.4	40.1	34.8	28.8	62.5	43.7	7.7	17.8

Prediction

Current Line: Syracuse -2.0

Louisville ATS: 9-7, 1-1 when underdog
Syracuse ATS: 8-8, 5-6 when favored

Syracuse had a great non-conference schedule and some fantastic results then, but recently they haven't been playing as well. This matchup is not going to be any easier for them.

Arinze Onuaku has had his work cut out for him recently, and the big men of the Big East have been having success against him. Look for Terrence Williams and Samardo Samuels to continue playing well.

The Cardinals and Orange have faced off seven times since 1980, and every time the home team has been victorious. Louisville's only tough Big East road game this season has been Villanova, and they escaped them by one point.

If the Cardinals are going to be a real contender for the Big East title, they have to be able to get it done on the road as well as at home.

It's about time the Louisville/Syracuse home team win streak ended.

Pick: Louisville +2.0

*All statistics for this article have come from StatSheet.com*

*This article is also featured on CFBPlace.com—and soon to be featured on CBBPlace.com*