Louisville vs. Creighton: Picks, Predictions and Odds

The 2025 men's tournament should begin with a bang, with the first tip-off of the round of 64 featuring the Louisville Cardinals and Creighton Bluejays on Thursday afternoon.

Showdowns between No. 8 and No. 9 seeds are almost always the most eagerly anticipated of the lot and this one is no exception. Louisville is a traditional college basketball powerhouse; Creighton has been one of the most successful programs outside of the Power 4 over the past few decades.

Read below to see our experts’ predictions for this matchup.

Louisville vs. Creighton betting picks and predictions

Louisville -2.5 (-110)

Even by the lofty standards of annual tournament committee backlash, the group responsible for this year’s bracket is catching an extreme amount of heat. In addition to the evergreen debates about who should or shouldn’t be in the field of 68, there is also a perceived inconsistency in seeding. For no team is that true to a greater extent than Louisville, which is ranked No. 10 in the AP Poll and No. 11 in the Coaches Poll. You would think that would earn the Cardinals a No. 3 or No. 4 seed (ESPN’s Joe Lunardi had them as a No. 6), but instead they were forced to settle for a No. 9 assignment.

It is true that the ACC is considered to be down this season, which is why the Cards were penalized for a perceived easy schedule. Still, this team is no slouch. Louisville went 18-2 in the conference, reached the final of the ACC Tournament (lost to Duke) and suffered only one loss to a non-tournament team throughout the entire 2024/25 campaign. Five different players are averaging double-figures in the points department, including Terrence Edwards Jr. (16.6 ppg) and Chucky Hepburn (16.2 ppg).

Meanwhile, it’s not like Creighton is any more battle tested than Louisville coming out of the Big East. The conference is decent, but it’s nothing special. Creighton dropped five conference contests (including to Georgetown by 24 points) and fell by double-digits at the hands of Nebraska during the non-conference slate back in November. Senior guard Steven Ashworth (16.3 ppg) has been kept below his season average in six of the last seven games.

Although this should be an entertaining affair, the value is on Louisville with the spread set at a modest 2.5 number.

Over 145.5 total points (-110)

There is so much offensive firepower on both teams that you probably have to like the over. Louisville is scoring 78.6 ppg and has scored at least 84 points in five of the last 12 contests. Creighton is not too far behind at 75.2 ppg, a number it has exceeded in three of the last five outings (including 87 against Butler).

From a matchup perspective, both sides should be well equipped for offensive success. Louisville boasts an elite backcourt, which is more often than not essential for a deep run in the tournament. In addition to Edwards and Hepburn, Reyne Smith is contributing 13.4 ppg. Creighton’s strength is in the post, so it may struggle to contain Louisville’s guards.

At the other end of the floor, the Cardinals may not be able to deal with the Bluejays’ size. Center Ryan Kalkbrenner (19.4 ppg) ended the regular season with 27 points against Butler and delivered a 32-point performance in the Big East Tournament against DePaul. He should be in line for a big day at Louisville’s expense.

Neither team is elite from a defensive standpoint, both outside the top 80 in points per game allowed. Louisville likes to play at a relatively fast pace and even though Creighton does not really do the same, it also isn’t adamant about slowing things down. It would not be surprising to see this game played at the Cardinals’ pace.

Read more college basketball betting picks and predictions on site

Louisville vs. Creighton odds

Louisville	-150 ML
Creighton	+125 ML
Spread	Louisville -2.5
Total	O/U 145.5

Read how to watch and stream Louisville vs. Creighton in the men's tournament round of 64 here.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.