Pat Kelsey Reacts to Louisville's NCAA Tournament Seed Snub

The Cardinals received a much lower seed for the Big Dance than many were expecting.

Mar 15, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Louisville Cardinals head coach Pat Kelsey reacts after losing the 2025 ACC Conference Championship game against the Duke Blue Devils at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - For the first time in six years, the Louisville men's basketball program is going back to the Big Dance. After having not made the NCAA Tournament since 2019, the Cardinals officially heard their named called on Selection Sunday.

That being said, it didn't come without a little bit of drama.

According to most "bracketologists," the Cardinals were projected to get anywhere from a five seed to a seven seed. In Bracket Matrix's final update, the Cardinals averaged out to a six seed among 111 different bracket projections. With a record of 27-7, an AP Top 25 on No. 13 and a NET ranking of 23rd, many thought UofL would get a favorable seed/draw.

The selection committee had other ideas.

What Louisville actually wound up with was a No. 8, and their reward for snapping a five-year NCAA Tournament drought was a matchup with No. 9 Creighton - a team who just made the Big East title game. Oh, and the winner of that game will (barring a UMBC/FSU style upset) go on to face No. 1 overall seeded Auburn.

As you can imagine, many Louisville fans, local and national media, and those in the college basketball world were floored at the committee's decision to seed the Cards on the eight line. Someone who was also surprised by the decision was head coach Pat Kelsey himself.

In an interview with Matt Jones and Myron Medcalf on ESPN Radio following the bracket's unveiling, Kelsey expressed his shock and disappoint towards getting a much lower seed than he thought he squad deserved.

"First of all, I just want to say how fortunate we are and excited we are to be playing in the national tournament and representing our school and our city," he said. "I'll be completely honest with you, when we were watching the Selection Show and that popped up, it hurt a little bit. You felt slighted a little bit.

"It is what it is at this point. You have the advantage of no choice, but in my opinion, we should be playing a 12 or an 11 seed. Every metric under the sun that you look at, and all the experts- NET 23, which would put us in a possible five-seed range, KenPom 23. Heck fellas, since that December 14 game (against Kentucky) - that's three months ago - we've lost two games. We went 18-2 in the ACC, went to the conference championship game, and lost to the No. 1 team in the country. It is what it is.

"If anything, to a competitor, to our guys, and to me, it puts a little fire in your belly and gives you a little added chip on your shoulder.

Tip-off between Louisville and Creighton is set for Thursday, Mar. 20 at 12:15 p.m. EST.

(Photo of Pat kKelsey: Jim Dedmon - Imagn Images)

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