Prediction: Ball State Cardinals VS Louisville Cardinals 2025-12-10
Louisville vs. Ball State WNCAAB Showdown: A Tale of Two Cardinals
Parse the Odds: A Statistical Powerhouse vs. a Perilous Road Trip
The Louisville Cardinals (8-3) are the undisputed favorites here, with odds so lopsided they make a penguin in a sauna look comfortable. At FanDuel, Louisville is priced at +1.01 (effectively a near-lock), while Ball State sits at +19.0, implying a 5% chance of pulling off the upset. The spread is a brutal -23.5 points for Louisville, meaning theyāre expected to win by enough to make a casual viewer check if their TV is muted. The total is set at 142.5 points, a number that Ball Stateās defenseāallowing 57.3 PPGāwould need to summon the ghost of Michael Jordan to exceed.
Louisvilleās scoring machine is firing on all cylinders: 82.0 PPG (23rd nationally) with a +24.7-point differential. Theyāre nailing 8.4 threes per game, 3.3 more than opponents, while Ball Stateās 28.8% three-point shooting (234th) is about as effective as a screen door in a hurricane. Ball State (8-2) isnāt bad on paperā+193 differential and 78.3 PPGābut their 59.0 PPG allowed and road struggles (74.3 PPG away vs. 90.3 at home) make them a shaky underdog.
Digest the News: Injuries, Illnesses, and the Curse of the āNext Man Upā
Louisvilleās recent 94-43 dismantling of New Hampshire showcased their dominance, with Tajianna Roberts dishing out 15 points and 5 assists (and, inexplicably, zero reboundsādid she forget gravity?). Ball State, meanwhile, fell 87-65 to Davidson, with star Bree Salenbien dropping 21 points but likely wondering why her teamās ānext man upā strategy feels more like ānext man down.ā
Ball Stateās woes? Their three-point shooting is so cursed, it makes a blindfolded lemur look like Steph Curry. At 28.8%, theyāre worse than most college teams at shooting free throws. And road games? Theyāre as welcoming as a vampireās sunrise vacation. Louisville, hosting at the KFC Yum! Center, has the advantage of playing in a venue where the only thing louder than the crowd is the sound of Ball Stateās hopes crumbling.
Humorous Spin: Porcupines, Toaster Offenses, and the Tragedy of Quantum Physics
Louisvilleās defense is like a porcupine on a trampolineāopponents canāt get close without getting pricked, and even if they do, theyāll bounce right back out. Ball Stateās offense, meanwhile, is a toaster in a bakery: present, but hopelessly inadequate. Their three-pointers? A game of āRussian rouletteā where the only bullet is a prayer.
As for the spread? Louisville is so favored, they could start this game with a 23-point lead and still be ārespecting the ball.ā Ball Stateās chances of an upset are about as likely as me explaining quantum physics to a goldfish. And letās not forget: Ball Stateās home/away split is wider than a Hollywood blockbuster budget. Theyāre the kind of team that plays like champions at home and tourists on the roadāunless the road is paved with confetti, which it isnāt here.
Prediction: Louisvilleās Feast or Famine, and Itās Definitely a Feast
Putting it all together? Louisville is the pick, plain and simple. Their scoring onslaught, Ball Stateās shaky three-point shooting, and the latterās road jinx make this a one-sided affair. The Cardinals should cruise to a 25+-point victory, with Roberts and company treating Ball Stateās defense like a buffet.
Final Verdict: Bet Louisville (-23.5) to humiliate and confuse in equal measure. And if youāre feeling spicy, take the Over 142.5āBall Stateās porous D and Louisvilleās scoring touch make it a points party. Unless, of course, you enjoy the tragic beauty of a team trying to shoot in the dark. But weāre not here for that.
āThe only thing Ball State will make tonight is an excuse for why they canāt hit a three. Louisville? Theyāll make history.ā ā Your Humorously Accurate Handicapper
Created: Dec. 10, 2025, 8:11 p.m. GMT