With Louisville football down 2-3 and riding a two-game losing streak, Cardinals fans are quickly turning their attention to Pat Kelsey’s squad. Louisville basketball’s season is fast approaching, and the Cardinals are set to face off in a preseason matchup against Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., on October 21.
Pat Kelsey makes last-second roster move to add veteran forward to Louisville
Pat Kelsey built one of the top rosters in college basketball, landing a top-two Transfer Portal class while also adding 5-star recruit Obinna Ekezie Jr. from the 2026 recruiting class. The Cardinals look like a legit Final Four contender this preseason, and ESPN’s Joe Lunardi just proved it.
Louisville basketball projected 2-seed in recent Bracketology
Lunardi is, of course, known for his Bracketology and his March Madness predictions. The college basketball analyst recently updated his preseason predictions, and the Cardinals fans will love where UofL is seeded.
Lunardi ranked Louisville as a 2-seed in his most recent Bracketology, with the Cardinals projected to face Montana State in the Midwest region's first round.
NCAA Men's Bracketology: Who's No. 1 four weeks out? @ESPNLunardi has the full 76-team NCAA tournament field projection ⬇️ https://t.co/7icmrFGXJZ
— ESPN (@espn) October 6, 2026
The Cardinals fans are starving for a Final Four run, or just a March Madness run in general. Kelsey has snapped multiple streaks since taking over as Louisville’s head coach, including leading Louisville to their first NCAA Tournament since 2019; last year was their first win in March Madness since Donovan Mitchell’s 2017 season.
Now, with this loaded roster, the hope is that Kelsey can lead Louisville to their first Elite 8 and Sweet Sixteen since 2015, and their first Final Four and National Championship since 2013. The Cardinals fans truly believe this could be the year these droughts snap, as Louisville is loaded with talent.
Kelsey brought in seven transfers, including No. 1 transfer Flory Bidunga, UNC star Seth Trimble, former 5-stars Karter Knox and Jackson Shelstad, and much-needed depth in 4-star transfer De'Shayne Montgomery. Louisville lost nine of its top 10 players from last year, but Kelsey kept former 5-star transfer Adrian Wooley.
This team has the veteran experience and the tools to be not just a preseason top-10 team, but a Final Four and National Title contender. Kelsey made major adjustments, attacking the frontcourt and physicality, and bringing in players like Knox, Bidunga, and Trimble. But this team should still be a threat offensively with Shelstad, Wooley, and 4-star transfer Alvaro Folgueiras.
Other notable teams projected in Louisville’s region include Illinois as the No. 1 seed, Texas as the No. 3 seed, Kansas as the No. 4 seed, and St. John’s as the No. 5 seed. The Cardinals are getting the flowers they deserve from Lunardi, and now Kelsey has to make sure the team lives up to the expectations.
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