Louisville basketball's National Championship path is set, and the Cardinals will be playing in the South region.
The Cardinals will make their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2019. Louisville basketball's five-year drought is finally over, and Pat Kelsey and his Cardinals squad locked up an eight-seed.
The Cardinal's have a impressive resume as they finished the season with a 27-7 overall record, and 20-2 ACC record, including their ACC Tournament games. Pat Kelsey and his Cardinals have a 5-6 record against Quad 1 teams, and jumped into the top 25 in the NET rankings. Louisville is ranked No. 23 in this category, thanks to their impressive 11-1 record against Quad 2 teams, and 12-0 against Quad 3 and 4 teams.
Louisville basketball will now go head-to-head with Creighton out of the Big East conference. The Cardinals will have a tough road to the Final Four, as Louisville basketball will look for their first Final Four appearance and National Championship since 2013.
Louisville basketball's NCAA Tournament picture comes into focus with nightmare path
The Cardinals will tip off with Creighton on Thursday, March 20. Louisville basketball fans are going to be livid about the Cardinals' seeding. Louisville basketball seems to be blatantly robbed as the Cardinals have too good of a resume to be the eight-seed in this region.
It was clear that Pat Kelsey and Chucky Hepburn were shocked to hear their names this early, as the Cardinals thought they would be much higher. The Cardinals will have a nightmare path now, as Louisville will have to get past a great Big East opponent in Creighton and then face the No. 1 overall seed in the Auburn War Eagles.
The top five seeds in this region are filled out by the 2-seed Michigan State, No. 3 seed Iowa State out of the Big 12, No. 4 seed Texas A&M from the SEC, and the Big 10 champs in Michigan, No. 5 seed.
The Cardinal's ranking is shocking and one that fans will feel disrespected. Louisville basketball will have a massive home-court advantage in the first two rounds as the Cardinals will play Creighton in Lexington, Ky., and then most likely Auburn in the second round in Lexington once again.