Louisville basketball is set to play USF in the first round in three days on Thursday, March 19, at 1:30 p.m. local time. The Cardinals are an early upset pick for many fans and experts, as Bruce Pearl immediately picked USF to win and beat Louisville after the East region was announced.
Now, another college basketball analyst just revealed his picks, and this time, Jay Bilas is the next expert to pick against Louisville and to send the Bulls into the Round of 32.
Jay Bilas picks Louisville to lose in NCAA Tournament opener
Looking at the 2026 NCAA Tournament, not many are pointing to the first round and finding an upset they like. However, one game that appears to be the favorite for many is unfortunately the Louisville-USF matchup. Both teams love to shoot from beyond the arc, and with Mikel Brown Jr.’s NCAA Tournament status still unknown, Bilas is the next expert to pick against Louisville.
“This is a great upset pick,” Billas stated. “Mikel Brown Jr. has been out because of a sore back, and South Florida is tough. It's worth rolling the dice on this one because Michigan State will likely beat either team. Winner: South Florida.”
The Cardinals are currently favored by 6.5 points and have an 81 percent chance of winning, according to ESPN Analytics. However, if Brown is ruled out of the game, this matchup will be one that Louisville fans will get much more anxious about. Just this morning, Pat Kelsey gave the latest injury update on Brown as the Cardinals continue to see if he is good to go for Thursday.
Kelsey stated he is making “great progress”, and Louisville will have its first full-speed practice this morning and will learn a lot about where he is right now. With Bilas, Pearl, and many others picking against Louisville, hopefully, Kelsey can use that as motivation, get this team fired up, and prove all these doubters wrong.
Pat Kelsey gives latest injury update on Mikel Brown Jr. before the NCAA Tournament
Louisville has done a good job at beating the teams they are supposed to beat, which gives Cardinals fans a lot of confidence. It is the next round against Michigan State that Louisville fans believe the Cards could lose. But, USF is no pushover, and all the experts picking against Louisville definitely should be concerning, but with Louisville starving for an NCAA Tournament win, hopefully Ryan Conwell and company can earn Louisville’s first win in the NCAA Tournament since 2017.
Related: 3 Louisville Cardinals who must step up after Mikel Brown Jr.'s injury update
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