Three ways Louisville basketball can secure a No. 1 seed
By Alan Thomas
Louisville basketball was projected as a 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament by the committee on Saturday. How can they make the coveted leap to a 1 seed?
A huge story for Louisville basketball this season has been its ability to capture momentum. First, the Cardinals began the season with nine straight wins. Then, after stumbling in 3 out of 5 games, the Cards reeled off their next ten (and counting).
Louisville will try to continue to seize momentum in the final quarter of the month. The Cards are in first place in the ACC with an opportunity to all but seal the deal on February 24th in a de facto regular-season championship game vs. Florida State (should both teams hold serve against weaker opponents).
In the NCAA’s first revealing of the top 16 seeds for the 2020 NCAA tournament, the Cardinals were rated as the No. 7 overall seed.
The current projected 1-seeds are as follows (in order of rank by the committee):
1. Kansas (20-3)
2. Baylor (21-1)
3. Gonzaga (25-1
4. San Diego State (24-0)
Here are the projected 2-seeds:
5. Duke (21-3)
6. Dayton (21-2)
7. Louisville (21-3)
8. West Virginia (18-5)
Coach Chris Mack’s squad entered this season with expectations through the roof, and here they are in mid-February with more than a fighter’s chance to meet those expectations.
It hasn’t all been pretty, but currently, The Ville is abuzz amidst an exemplary 10-game winning streak. Moreover, preseason John Wooden Award candidate Jordan Nwora is really coming into form averaging 23.5 points over the last 4 games, impressing fans, NBA scouts, and draft analysts alike.
As one of the hottest teams in the nation, the Cards have enjoyed a climb back into the national championship conversation, as corroborated by Louisville’s projection by the committee over the weekend. But here’s what we’ve learned about this year’s committee already: those making it out unscathed or with minor bumps and bruises are going to reign supreme, regardless of conference or strength of schedule.
Nevertheless, Louisville has plenty of wiggle room if they can continue to take care of business, and though it’s shaping up to be a perilous voyage, I’m going to show you how we can get there with a little help.