Kenny Payne has been fired, the women’s team has been eliminated, and Louisville basketball is a quickly sinking ship.
However, some fans have grabbed onto a surprising lifeboat: the Oakland Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies, led by surprise star Jack Gohlke, knocked out Lousiville’s rival Kentucky and Cardinals fans are loving it.
The second best thing to a Louisville Cardinals win? A Kentucky Wildcat loss.
Following the Wildcats' loss to Oakland, fans bought thousands of dollars worth of Oakland gear to support their new favorite team in the NCAA Tournament.
Louisville residents bought $8,000 worth of Oakland gear after they beat Kentucky on Thursday night.
— OutKick (@Outkick) March 22, 2024
“You know, they buy the t-shirts and they put the credit card in and Louisville, Louisville, Louisville. It wasn't the same person”
Read: https://t.co/RfkIOTR422 pic.twitter.com/wFqhVAjlQY
According to Oakland head coach Greg Kampe, the school’s website crashed from fans trying to buy the store’s merch.
The cause of the surge? Residents of good ole’ Lousiville, Kentucky.
For context, Oakland University is located in Rochester Hills, Michigan – nearly 400 miles from Louisville.
While the Louisville Cardinals may not be vying for another national title, their fans are as invested as ever because of the Oakland Grizzlies’ squad.
Gohkle scored an astonishing 32 points in the Grizzlies’ win over the Wildcats. At the end of 40 minutes, Oakland walked away with the 80-76 win over Kentucky.
Louisville fans can don their new Oakland swag when the Grizzlies take on the NCA State Wolfpack on Saturday, March 23.
What’s in store for Kentucky’s future? Even head coach John Calipari isn’t a certainty.