Louisville basketball is trending towards having one of the best rosters in college basketball next season. Pat Kelsey landed three massive commitments from the transfer portal and a 5-star point guard in the class of 2025, and the fans are already looking up Final Four tickets for 2026.
The Cardinals' addition of Mikel Brown Jr., Adrian Wooley, Ryan Conwell, and Isaac McKneely exceeded all expectations and stunned the world. Kelsey took over this elite program when it was at rock bottom, and in just one year, he skyrocketed it back to elite National Championship contenders.
So, with the Cardinals back in the mix for the National Championships, we wanted to go down memory lane and reminisce about the last time Louisville basketball won the National Championship.
When was the last time Louisville basketball won the National Championship?
Unfortunately, it is trickier than just stating a year. Technically, the last time the Cardinals won the National Championship was in 2013. The Cardinals were led by Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino and four future NBA players: Russ Smith, Peyton Siva, Gorgui Dieng, and Montrezl Harrell.
At the time, Louisville was still a part of the Big East, as they dominated this conference in the 2012-2013 season. The Cardinals secured a 35-5 record, 14-4 in Big East play, and went on to win the Big East Tournament. The Cardinals secured a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and were matched up with the No. 16 seed North Carolina A&T.
The Cardinals would go on to dominate the Aggies and then would secure a 26 victory over Colorado State in the second round. The Pitino squad would then match up with the No. 12 seed Oregon Duck in the Sweet Sixteen and end that Cinderella Story with a 77-69 victory over the Ducks. Louisville was then set to tip off with the No. 2 seed in the region, the Duke Blue Devils, in an all-time battle of Pitino vs Coach Krzyzewski, aka Coach K.
The Cardinals dominated the Blue Devils in an 85-63 victory as Smith, Siva, and Dieng led them. Smith finished with a game-high 23 points, with Siva pitching in 16 points and Dieng adding 14. The Cardinal returned to the Final Four for the consecutive year, as in the year prior, they lost to the Kentucky Wildcats in the Final Four.
Louisville beat Wichita State in the Final Four and secured a berth in the National Championship for the first time since their last title in 1986. The Cardinals would win the National Championship over the Michigan Wolverines in an 82-76 victory, marking the Cardinals' third National Championship title.
However, here is where it gets tricky. That was the last time Louisville won the National Championship game, but unfortunately, they can't claim the title. Four years after the National Championship game, the NCAA vacated Louisville basketball's 2013 National Championship, its 2012 Final Four appearance, and 122 other victories due to a scandal surrounding Pitino.
So, now the banner that hangs up in KFC Yum! Arena says "2013 Final Coaches Poll #1" rather than "2013 NCAA Champions".
So, long story short, the last time the Cardinals won the National Championship was in 2013, but the last National Championship title they can claim is their 1986 National Championship title. The Cardinals can claim two National Championships, as they also won in 1980.
Kelsey and his squad look to break the Cardinals' Final Four and National Championship drought this upcoming season and win the Cardinals' first NCAA Tournament Championship game in over 12 years.