Vegas Play of the Day: North Carolina at Louisville

By Case Keefer (contact)

Monday, Feb. 1, 2016 | 2:01 p.m.

We've reset the Play of the Day with fresh bankrolls and turned it into a yearly competition. Our three sports writers have re-started with $10,000 bankrolls to continue using on odds from the South Point.

Louisville minus-1 vs. North Carolina: $440 to win $400

In a matchup between a great offense and a great defense in college basketball, I’ll more often than not take the latter. When the latter is playing at home in a buy-low situation, my conviction is even stronger.

Louisville got demolished Saturday against Virginia, losing 63-47 as its offense clunked to a 16-for-49 shooting performance from the field. The Cavaliers are one of the best teams in the country, and not one that should ever be glossed over.

But the Cardinals probably did look ahead to some extent. This game with North Carolina was guaranteed to be a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup in the ACC, regardless what happened Saturday.

Many are calling the Tar Heels the best team in college basketball after a 12-game winning streak. But they’ve faced an extremely easy schedule during the run.

Louisville will be far and away the best team North Carolina has encountered in two months and maybe all season. The Cardinals can slow the Tar Heels’ attacking offense with one of the best rim protectors in the nation in sophomore Chinanu Onuaku, who only played limited minutes because of an illness Saturday.

North Carolina won’t be used to the resistance Louisville will deliver on the defensive end.

Current Standings (as of July 1): Brewer (33-29, $10,380), Bern (24-30, $7,455), Keefer (27-41-2, $4,402)

Lifetime standings: 2014-15 Champion Bern (104-103-1), Keefer (111-123-4), Brewer (102-117-2)

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.