Louisville Basketball Seeks Stronger ACC for Tournament Resume

Louisville basketball is striving to enhance its NCAA Tournament resume by seeking a stronger performance within the ACC. Following a 27-7 record and a second-place finish in the ACC last season, the Cardinals received only a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament, a situation that coach Pat Kelsey described as feeling slighted.

With half of the ACC's 18 members finishing outside of the top 100 in the NET rankings last season, Louisville aims for more Quad 1 opportunities in conference play to improve its postseason prospects.

The ACC's struggles were highlighted by a dismal 22-59 record in nonconference Quad 1 and Quad 2 games, resulting in the lowest winning percentage among high-major conferences. To address these issues, the ACC has reverted to an 18-game slate for the 2025-26 season, encouraging teams to seek marquee nonconference matchups.

As of December 19, 2025, the ACC ranked fourth in KenPom's power rankings at +14.77, a significant improvement from the previous season. Louisville, currently ranked No. 24 in the NET, is one of only three ACC teams inside the top 30.

The Cardinals are projected to have 15 remaining games in the top two quadrants, which could bolster their NCAA Tournament chances. ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi projects the ACC to send eight teams to the 2026 NCAA Tournament, with Louisville ranked as a No. 4 seed in the South Region.

The upcoming games will be crucial as Louisville seeks to solidify its position and avoid a repeat of last year's disappointing selection experience.