Louisville basketball got what it deserved from the AP voters after recent skid

Louisville basketball is on a two-game losing streak and lost three of its last four, and as a result of this late-season skid, the Cardinals drop out of the AP Polls for the first time this season. Louisville was once ranked as high as No. 6 in the nation and had the sixth-highest odds to win the National Title, but with Louisville sitting at 20-9 on the season, the Cardinals' fans are making it clear they just hope to win a game in the National Tournament.

Louisville fans expected the Cardinals to drop out of the AP rankings after losing to North Carolina and Clemson this week. The Cardinals' season has been quite a roller coaster after they started out hot, then went 4-4 in a mid-season skid, then won five straight, and now they have lost three of the last four.

The Cards have just two games remaining in the regular season, but the latest AP Polls give Louisville another huge opportunity, as their road game against Miami is getting way more attention.

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Louisville basketball gets one last opportunity for statement win

While the Cardinals are out of the AP Polls, the Miami Hurricanes leap into them. The Canes are one of the biggest surprises of the ACC, sitting in third place with a 23-6 overall record and a 12-4 conference record. The Canes are now ranked No. 22 in the AP Polls, which gives Louisville a huge opportunity to try and earn that key road win over a ranked team.

Louisville is 3-7 on the road, including a 1-7 record with teams above a .500 record. The Cards have lost their last three road games and have been down by double digits in every road game against a ranked team. Louisville has struggled overall against ranked teams, but on the road, it is even worse.

Louisville has trailed Duke by 31, Tennessee by 25, Arkansas by 20, North Carolina by 16, Clemson by 15, and SMU by 12. The Cards will have an opportunity before the postseason to earn their first road win over a ranked team, but it won’t be easy, as this Miami team is red-hot.

The Hurricanes have won six of their last seven, including a win over North Carolina back when they had Caleb Wilson. The Cards, as of now, have a 62.9 percent chance of winning this game according to ESPN Analytics, and hopefully, with Louisville dropping out of the rankings for the first time this season, Pat Kelsey has this group with a chip on their shoulder and ready to go on a run this March.

Louisville returns to the court tomorrow inside KFC Yum! Center, at 9 p.m. local time, and ends their regular season against Miami on March 7 inside Watsco Center at 2 p.m. local time.

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For all the latest on Louisville basketball's 2025-26 season and recruiting, stay tuned.