March Madness officially is in full swing as two play-in games were completed last night and two more will be played tonight to start things off for the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Louisville basketball will make its first appearance in the Big Dance since the 2019-20 season, and the Cardinals are furious about the disrespect the nation showed them. The Cardinals are ranked in the top 10 by the AP Polls, yet fall to an 8-seed in the NCAA Tournament. Yes, you read that correctly. Louisville basketball will enter the tournament with a chip on their shoulder and something to prove.
The Cardinals will need some players to rise and step up big time. The Cardinals have won 21 of their last 23 games and will need four more wins to secure a spot in the Final Four.
2 Louisville Cardinals stocks rising, 2 that are falling before NCAA Tournament
Louisville basketball had a deep ACC Tournament run, and many players stepped up and played some of their best basketball, but they also saw some players struggle at the worst time.
The Cardinals will see Creighton from Rupp Arena tomorrow afternoon at 12:15 p.m. local time. Before the Cardinals' playoff journey begins, here are two Louisville Cardinals stocks rising and two that are falling before the NCAA Tournament.
4. Rising: Reyne Smith
The Cardinals lethal shooter returns to the floor after missing the last four games. Reyne Smith's stocks are soaring through the roof, as Louisville basketball desperately needs their sharpshooter back in the lineup.
Louisville's spacing and movement without the ball were a glaring weakness for the Cardinals during the ACC Tournament. Smith provides spacing and constant movement and keeps the defense on its toes. His ability to catch and shoot draws many eyes towards him when he is moving around the arc and often allows Chucky Hepburn or Terrence Edwards Jr. to play more freely.
Smith averages 3.5 threes a game, which is No. 8 in the nation, and has splashed 104 threes this season, which is also top 10 in the country. He shoots the deep ball at an exceptional rate of 38.5 percent.
The Cardinals shooter averaged 13.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.7 steals per game in the regular season for the Cardinals. Smith struggled towards the end of the regular season as he averaged 31.5 percent in his last nine games, but the rest was much needed.
Louisville basketball is way better with their lethal shooter on the floor than when is off, and that was clear as day during the ACC Tournament.