The unbeaten Louisville basketball team faces its first ranked team of the season on Friday night when No. 19 Vanderbilt visits the KFC Yum! Center, with the Cards as 8.5-point favorites on Bodog’s NCAA basketball odds.
 
Vandy (5-2) has played a much more challenging schedule than Louisville so far, but the Commodores enter off an 82-70 overtime home loss to No. 11 Xavier on Monday. John Jenkins led Vanderbilt, which led by 10 at one point in the second half with 20 points. The Musketeers outrebounded Vanderbilt 54-33 and outscored the Commodores 22-8 off turnovers. Vanderbilt clearly misses star big man Festus Ezeli, who has yet to play this season due to NCAA suspension and a sprained knee.
 
Louisville (6-0) has already lost a few key players due to injury as well, but the Cards have only been challenged once this year – a 5-point win over Ohio University. On Monday night, Louisville beat a very good Long Beach State team (the 49ers won at Pitt earlier this year) 79-66. The Cards allowed more than 54 points in a game for the first time this season. Louisville had been the only school in the nation to hold each of its 2011-12 foes to fewer than 55 points. U of L forced 21 turnovers and recorded a season-high 14 steals, mainly from its full-court pressure. Louisville extended its home winning streak to 14 games, improving to 24-2 in 26 games at the KFC Yum! Center.
 
Star guard Peyton Siva looked much more explosive in his second game since missing two with a severely sprained left ankle. He had 11 points, five steals and five assists vs. LBSU. However, they're still missing many contributors. Forward Rakeem Buckles (right knee) has returned to practice, but guard Mike Marra (left knee) and forward Stephan Van Treese (left knee) are out indefinitely.
 
This will be the first meeting between Vandy and Louisville. U of L is 4-1 ATS this season and 3-1 ATS at home. Vandy is 2-3 ATS and hasn’t played a true road game.
 
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