With the spread tightening and uncertainty around Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville needs consistent scoring — and J’Vonne Hadley has become their most reliable option down the stretch.
My South Florida vs. Louisville predictions and March Madness picks like the senior to provide the scoring for the Cardinals on Thursday, March 19.
South Florida vs Louisville prediction
Who will win South Florida vs Louisville?
Louisville: The dwindling spread and Brown’s iffy status have many people pushing the South Florida Bulls through to the Round of 32. However, the Louisville Cardinals are a good counter to USF’s strengths. The Cardinals can keep the Bulls from the offensive glass, and their 3-point shooting exposes South Florida’s poor perimeter defense.
South Florida vs Louisville best bet: J'Vonne Hadley Over 14.5 points (-112)
The 6-foot-7 senior is a tough matchup for USF’s backcourt, which tops out at 6-foot-5. J'vonne Hadley can bully smaller defenders and blow by bigger ones if the Bulls switch out a forward on him.
He’s able to score in various ways, either finishing the fastbreak, getting to the rim, or knocking down looks from beyond the arc. Hadley can also scoop up misses for putbacks on the offensive glass.
He’s averaged 15 points over the past 11 games, and while his usage spikes with Mikel Brown Jr. out, he's still scored plenty of points when the freshman stud is in the lineup.
COVERS INTEL: Hadley is an underrated 3-point shooter, hitting at 45.6%. He’s made two or more triples in six of his last nine games and faces a poor perimeter defense from USF.
South Florida vs Louisville same-game parlay
The Cardinals are being cagey with Brown’s status for the Round of 64, stating he’s day-to-day. However, after sitting their star freshman for the ACC tournament, all signs point to a return. This spread could jump up once the news is official.
As mentioned, Hadley is a matchup nightmare for the smaller Bulls. The 6-foot-7 guard does it all for UL and has had a hot hand from outside, making two or more 3-pointers in six of his last nine games.
South Florida vs Louisville SGP
- Louisville -5.5
- J'vonne Hadley Over 14.5 points
- J'vonne Hadley Over 1.5 threes
Our Big Dance SGP: From the land beyond
Both teams play at a quicker pace, and both love to launch it from deep. Wes Enis is the Bulls' biggest threat from beyond the arc, making three or more triples in six of his last eight showings.
South Florida vs Louisville SGP
- Louisville -5.5
- Over 165
- J'vonne Hadley Over 1.5 threes
- Wes Enis Over 2.5 threes
South Florida vs Louisville odds
- Spread: South Florida +5.5 | Louisville -5.5
- Moneyline: South Florida +192 | Louisville -245
- Over/Under: Over 165 | Under 165
South Florida vs Louisville betting trend to know
Louisville is 9-4 ATS in non-conference games this season. Find more college basketball betting trends for South Florida vs. Louisville.
How to watch South Florida vs Louisville
| Location | KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY |
| Date | Thursday, March 19, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 1:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | TNT |
South Florida vs Louisville key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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