Louisville basketball has just three games remaining on the regular season, and the Cardinals' fans are feeling quite different from when the season started. Entering the 2025-26 season, the Cardinals had high expectations, with many analysts and fans expecting this team to compete for a Final Four berth and the ACC Title.
However, with March just three days away, the ACC Tournament just 12 days away, and Selection Sunday just 17 days away, Louisville’s ceiling feels much lower with the Cardinals' recent struggles. Louisville has lost two of its last three, and in its final three games, it has challenging road games against Clemson and Miami.
These final three games will tell a whole lot about this Cardinals team. If Louisville can win out, the Cards fans will feel much more confident, as there is a high chance they could earn a double-bye in the ACC Tournament. However, if Louisville loses one or goes 0-2 against Clemson and Miami, these Cardinals fans will be extremely worried about the postseason.
Louisville basketball has struggled against good teams
The Cardinals have struggled on the road this season, with a concerning 3-6 record, including 0-4 against ranked teams and 1-5 against teams with winning records. With the postseason just a couple of weeks away, the Cardinals have to try to find a way ASAP to get over the hump against better teams.
Louisville has a 2-6 record against ranked teams this season, and has a 0-6 record against current ranked teams. The Cardinals are trending toward a No. 6 seed, as Bracket Matrix reports Louisville’s average seed is 5.92 across 111 projections, with their highest seed being a No. 4 and their lowest a No. 7.
If Louisville stays a No. 6 seed, that would put them up against a No. 11 seed in the first round, which is no easy first round, but if Louisville does move on, they would likely play a No. 3 seed, which would be a Quad 1A team, which the Cardinals are 0-7 this season against. Right now, Joe Lunardi projects the Kansas Jayhawks as the No. 3 seed in the Cardinals region, which would be a thrilling matchup for Mikel Brown Jr. vs Darryn Peterson, but it would be a physical game that hasn’t favored Louisville this season.
Right now, the Cardinals are the No. 7 seed in the ACC Tournament, which would likely mean they get a rematch with Cal on Wednesday, and if they win that game, they would play Virginia on Thursday. Louisville has chances to rise in the NCAA Tournament, but to do so, they have to overcome their road struggles, beat Clemson and Miami, and make a run in the ACC Tournament, which means finding a way to beat a ranked Virginia team.
But for right now, if Louisville remains a No. 6 seed, the Cardinals being matched up with Kansas or a No. 3 seed has Louisville fans quite worried for the NCAA Tournament, as not many are confident Louisville can upset a No. 3 seed given their history against ranked teams.
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