South Florida vs Louisville Prediction 3/19/2026 Today’s College Basketball Picks

The South Florida Bulls and the Louisville Cardinals will meet on Thursday afternoon in an NCAA Tournament First Round matchup at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

South Florida Bulls Betting Preview

The South Florida Bulls enter Thursday’s contest with a 25–8 overall win-loss record, including a 15-3 mark in conference play and a robust 9–3 mark at home. The Bulls have compiled wins over Florida A&M, Coppin State, Kennesaw State, Western Kentucky, Utah State, and Charleston, while dropping games to George Washington, Colorado State, VCU and the Oklahoma State Sooners.

Earlier this season, in the South Florida Bulls dominant 75-56 victory over the Rice Owls, South Florida forward Izaiyah Nelson tallied 24 points (7 of 14 shooting from the field: 10 of 10 from the free-throw line), 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals illustrating his ability to lead the South Florida frontcourt.

The South Florida Bulls average 87 points (6th in country) on 43.7 percent shooting from the field and 33.1 percent shooting from three-point range per game. Shifting our focus to the defensive side of the basketball, the Bulls are allowing opponents 76.3 points per contest.

Senior forward Izaiyah Nelson leads the South Florida Bulls averaging 15.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. Senior guard Josh Omojafo averages 11.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1 steal per contest. Senior guard Joseph Pinion contributes 14.2 points, 3.8 rebounds. 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game.

Louisville Cardinals Betting Preview

The Louisville Cardinals enter Thursday’s contest with a 23-10 record, including an 11–7 mark in conference play and a 4–7 record on the road. The Cardinals have compiled recent wins over SMU, Miami, Syracuse, Georgia Tech and the Baylor Bears, while losing games to Clemson, North Carolina and the Duke Blue Devils.

In the Louisville Cardinals convincing 90-70 win over the California Golden Bears, Louisville guard Ryan Conwell tallied 26 points (8 of 16 shooting from the field), 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.  

The Louisville Cardinals average 84.8 points (18th in country) on 47 percent shooting from the field and 35.7 percent shooting from behind the arc per game. On the defensive side of the basketball, the Cardinals are allowing opponents 72.2 points per contest.

Sophomore guard Ryan Conwell leads the Louisville Cardinals averaging 18.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 steals on 40.7 percent shooting from the field per game. Guards Mikel Brown Jr. and Isaac McKneely provide the Cardinals with additional scoring options. Brown Jr is averaging 18.2 points per contest, while McKneely contributes 10.6 points per game.

Why the South Florida Bulls Will Win

• Elite offense. In 32 games played this season, the South Florida Bulls are averaging 87 points per game which ranks 6th in the nation.

• Multiple scoring options. The South Florida Bulls have four players that average over 10 points per game.

• Momentum. The South Florida Bulls arrive at tomorrow’s contest on the heels of 11-game winning streak.

Why the Louisville Cardinals Will Win

• Potent offense. The Louisville Cardinals average 84.8 points (18th in country) per contest.

• Defensive edge. The Cardinals are allowing opponents 72.2 points per contest. Conversely, the South Florida Bulls are allowing opponents 76.3 points per game.  

Louisville Cardinals vs. South Florida Bulls Prediction

This matchup features a South Florida Bulls team that leans heavily on perimeter shooting, but Louisville’s physicality, half‑court defense and interior scoring create a far more stable scoring game script over 40 minutes of play. For me, Louisville’s superior overall team balance, home court advantage and quality frontcourt play make the Cardinals the clear side to be on in this contest. With that said, I am backing the Louisville Cardinals to cover the 4.5 points in this game.

Hans Geevers's Pick: Louisville -4.5