Pat Kelsey finally got his first NCAA Tournament win Thursday as Louisville basketball survived a late surge by South Florida and held on for an 83-79 victory. It marked Kelsey’s first win in six NCAA Tournament games and Louisville’s first tournament victory since 2017. Now, the Cards turn their attention to a second-round matchup with a familiar March opponent in Michigan State.
Louisville basketball's win over USF reveals one glaring issue Pat Kelsey must fix
Saturday’s meeting has the Spartans listed as 4.5-point favorites according to FanDuel Sportsbook. This will be the fourth NCAA Tournament matchup between the two programs since 2009, with Tom Izzo holding a 2-1 edge over Louisville. The most recent meeting came in 2015, when Michigan State defeated Louisville 76-70 in overtime in the Elite Eight.
For this 6 vs. 3 matchup, Louisville’s underdog status is amplified by the continued absence of Mikel Brown Jr., who still has not returned despite three weeks off. Meanwhile, Michigan State enters as a battle-tested group, going 11-1 in non-conference play with wins over Arkansas, Kentucky, and UNC. At just 3-6 against ranked opponents this season, Louisville will need to bring its A-game to advance.
So, here are three eye-popping stats that prove Louisville will pull off the upset over Michigan State.