Operation ReviVILLE is in full effect and on the biggest stage of college hoops.
The NCAA Men’s Tournament, also known as March Madness, officially starts Tuesday, March 18 with the First Four, and teams are ready to prove themselves on the big stage. Wild upsets will happen, the intensity dial will be cranked up, and the Big Dance will become very entertaining for fans all across the country. Deep down, all 68 teams in this tournament know what’s at stake: win a national championship.
For Louisville, this is a redemption season, with a new coach and brand new overall performance that’s a refreshing scene to watch for fans. Every Cards fan was expecting the team to land as a high seed, but they were sadly mistaken when they were announced as a #8 seed, playing #9 seed Creighton Thursday, March 20 in Lexington, KY. Even head coach Pat Kelsey, along with the rest of the program, was visually confused when the Cardinals were announced that low.
This is a nightmare waiting to happen because if they win, they’ll have the potential opportunity to play Auburn, the #1 overall seed, in the 2nd Round and have a gruesome path to the Sweet Sixteen. In addition to this, they played Clemson, a team that’s been really strong, twice and won both times (won January 7 with a score of 74-64, and March 4 in the ACC tournament semifinal game with a score of 76-73), but the Tigers ended up with a #5 seed.
The Cardinals have built an impressive resume as they finished the season with a 27-7 overall record, and 20-2 ACC record, including their ACC Tournament games. Pat Kelsey and his squad have a 5-6 record against Quad 1 teams, and jumped into the top 25 in the NET rankings. Louisville is ranked No. 23 in this category, thanks to their impressive 11-1 record against Quad 2 teams, and 12-0 against Quad 3 and 4 teams. This, along with many other factors, makes them more than qualified to be a much higher seed, with a 5-6 being more reasonable.
Comparing this season to the past couple years, Louisville has a 19 win increase, which is the largest in Division 1.
For the Cards, some key players to watch include senior guard Chucky Hepburn, 5th year guard/forward Terrence Edwards Jr, and senior guard Reyne Smith.
Hepburn, ACC Defensive Player of the Year and all-ACC first team selection, averages 16.4 PPG, 3.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists. Edwards Jr, all-ACC third team selection, averages 16.6 PPG, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. Smith suffered a high ankle sprain in the first half of the Cards’ 85-68 win over California on March 5, but is expected to be healthy and return for the tournament. He averages 13.4 PPG, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.4 assists. Being the ACC leader in three pointers made (106) and three pointer averages per game (3.5), it’s no doubt that he’ll continue to serve as a strong asset to the Cards when he returns to play.
Despite this season’s NCAA Tournament path being daunting, there’s no doubt that Louisville will step up to the plate and compete strong. They’ve already proven themselves as a force to be reckoned with from the very beginning, and fans all across the country know that this team is the comeback of the year. If the Cards end up exiting in the 2nd Round, it’ll definitely be unfortunate considering the magical turnaround season they’ve had. However, March Madness is known for bracket busting games and wild upsets, so the team isn’t fully out of the running just yet.
It’s time to turn up the intensity for the Louisville Cardinals, and let’s hope that their season will have a strong ending. Catch them in action as they face off against the Blue Jays this Thursday, March 20 at Rupp Arena, or on CBS at 12:15pm.
