The Louisville Cardinals take on the Stanford Cardinal in Stanford, CA. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
Louisville is favored by 8.5 points on the spread with a price of 81-cent to win and the total set at 157.5 points on Fanatics Markets.
Here’s my Louisville vs. Stanford prediction and college basketball picks for January 2, 2026.
Louisville vs Stanford Prediction
My Pick: Under 158.5 (Play to 156.5)
My Louisville vs Stanford best bet is on the under. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Louisville vs Stanford College Basketball Betting Preview
Louisville Basketball
Louisville has started with an impressive 11-2 record under second-year head coach Pat Kelsey. The Cardinals are ranked top-20 in the nation as they head into the bulk of their ACC schedule.
They’ve done it with balance, as they rank 33rd or better in both offensive and defensive adjusted efficiency.
They've also done it with pace, ranking 12th in a nation in average possession length. They currently average just 14.9 seconds before a shot attempt and shoot 55.3% of their attempts from beyond the arc.
This Louisville team certainly lives and dies by the 3-pointer, as evidenced by its two losses to Arkansas and Tennessee (games in which it didn't shoot well from beyond the arc).
Louisville is also extremely deep, as it ranks in the top third of bench minutes contributed. The Cardinals have six players that average double-digits scoring and they've dropped at least 80 points in all but two of their games.
The Cardinals are 9-4 against the spread on the season and are hitting at a 7-3 mark against the spread over the last 10 games.
Their leading scorer — Ryan Conwell — has put up at least 22 points in three of their last five games.
The scoring depth available for Cardinals will surely give Stanford issues.
Stanford Basketball
Stanford has gotten off to its best start since 2020, as it owns an 11-3 record with quality wins against Colorado and Saint Louis. However, the Cardinal also have losses to Seattle, UNLV and Notre Dame.
Their biggest issue against Louisville will be their lack of depth. Their best player is Ebuka Okorie, who pours in 21 points per game. Chisom Okpara and Benny Gealer help as both score in double figures, but outside of those three players, Stanford struggles to find consistent help.
The Cardinal's impressive record is a big question mark because they rank outside of the top 200 in strength of schedule. And Louisville will be their toughest opponent by a mile.
Louisville vs. Stanford Betting Analysis
This spread is really right on the mark, so it’s hard to find value either way. I do like where this total is sitting, though.
The overall pace of this game might favor more points, but both teams do a good enough job defensively to limit high-volume shots.
They also do a good job defensively and making those shots tough.
Expect a game where each bucket will be earned, and the Cardinal will play at a pace to favor a lower-scoring game.
Also, neither shoot free throws at a high enough percentage to shake my confidence.
My Pick: Under 158.5 (Play to 156.5)
