Louisville basketball is eyeing history this season, as the Cardinals aim to win their first NCAA Tournament game since 2017. The Cards look to rewrite the history books and end this drought, and with the roster Pat Kelsey has, this should be no problem.
The Cards saw their odds rise to +1500 after Kentucky lost to Michigan State last night, making them the fifth-highest odds to win the 2026 NCAA Title. The Cardinals are currently ranked No. 6 in the nation and are setting themselves up for a massive season after their win over Kentucky. This fan base is starving to cut down some nets, as they have never won an ACC Title and haven't been to the Final Four since 2013.
Well, in Joe Lunardi's updated Men's Bracketology for the 2026 NCAA Tournament, the Cardinals fans saw their Cards take a big leap after their win over Kentucky and quickly realized they are in a stacked region.'
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Joe Lunardi bumps the Cards up in his latest Men's Bracketology
Previously, Louisville was projected as a No. 3 seed in Lunardi's bracketology, but now that the Cardinals have started 4-0, including a home win over the Kentucky Wildcats, the ESPN analyst bumped the Cardinals to the No. 2 seed in the Midwest region. The Midwest region is the best overall, as the No. 1 seed is here, meaning the Cardinals are projected to be in the same region as Purdue.
On top of that, also in this region are Kentucky at No. 3, Iowa State at No. 4, North Carolina at No. 5, and Kansas at No. 6. So if Louisville can make it to the Sweet Sixteen, they would most likely have a rematch with either the Jayhawks or the Wildcats in this scenario. And for the Elite Eight, they would be matched up with Purdue, North Carolina, Iowa State, or someone else if a big upset happens.
The Cardinals being a No. 2 seed is huge for this program, as it shows just how far it has come since Kelsey arrived. Louisville's last time earning a seed that high was way back in 2016-2017, when Donovan Mitchell led the Cards, but hopefully the Cards avoid an upset, as they fell in the Round of 32 to Michigan that postseason.
They have Cincinnati up next on Friday, November 21, and once December arrives, Louisville fans will see their non-conference schedule get much tougher as they face Arkansas, Indiana, Memphis, and Tennessee in four straight games.
For all the latest news and updates on the Louisville basketball 2025-26 season and recruiting, stay tuned.