Survive and advance! That is what March is all about. It wasn’t the prettiest win for the Cardinals, but it was a win. Louisville basketball defeated USF 83-79, and Pat Kelsey will have to make sure to clean a few things up if they want to move on to the Sweet Sixteen, but for now, Louisville fans are going to soak this win in.
Pat Kelsey and Louisville basketball finally end painful 8-year drought with USF win
Entering this afternoon, the Cardinals hadn’t won an NCAA Tournament game since 2017, but the Cardinals snapped that eight-year drought today. A lot of fans were picking USF to upset Louisville this afternoon, and some were quite confident their Bulls would win. A fiery rivalry began on social media between the Cardinals and Bulls fans, but there is nothing better than the sweet taste of victory, and for the USF fans, they will now have to eat their words.
Louisville basketball makes USF fans eat their words after March Madness win
Before this afternoon’s game, USF fans were wildly confident that their USF Bulls were going to win and move on. To the point that some fans were already scouting Michigan State, and were just overlooking Louisville.
How are you guys feeling about our matchup with Michigan State? I think there’s a real shot at a big upset there.
— Barstool USF (@Barstool_USF) March 18, 2026
After we beat Louisville on Thursday the only disappointing thing is we won't have a long time to bully Michigan State fans.
— 🤘Sidelines-USF🤘 (@SSN_USF) March 17, 2026
I’m so serious I don’t see a scenario where Louisville wins this game without Mikel Brown. Devastating news for them.
— Barstool USF (@Barstool_USF) March 18, 2026
Like Wes Enis said, we’re the better team. Better on the offensive glass, better defensively, and better shot creators. Mikel Brown was their only chance.
A lot of the trash-talking really reached a new level when guard Wes Enis said USF is the "better team." Well, the Bulls' leading scorer, who averages nearly 17 points a game, scored just 4 points on 2-of-15 shooting from the field, 0-of-11 from beyond the arc, and in 32 minutes. The Cardinals fans are now letting the scoreboard do the talking as Louisville will play in Buffalo in the round of 32, while USF will go enjoy the offseason.
The Bulls fans are really quiet right now, and many of them will make excuses, but the reality is that Louisville was the better team, and the Cardinals will continue to dance, and USF will enjoy Cancún. Louisville will get the winner of Michigan State and North Dakota State, and the Cardinals will try to earn a spot in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2015.
Related: USF guard gives Pat Kelsey and Louisville bulletin board material before first-round
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