The Louisville Cardinals got a big shock after some questionable seeding on Sunday. The Cardinals finished the regular season as the No. 2 team in the ACC after losing to Duke in the conference final. They also finished as runner-up in the conference tournament final.
After receiving a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament bracket, Louisville fans and their head coach have been left searching for answers.
Understanding The Selection Process
The NCAA Selection Committee considers two key factors for seed placements: Net Ranking and Strength of Schedule. The Net ranking is a metric used to assess a team’s performance based on their opponents’ strength and their wins and losses. However, the Strength of Schedule evaluates how difficult a team’s schedule is.
In the case of Louisville, they had a Net ranking of 23 and their Strength of Schedule included wins over Clemson and North Carolina. This should have placed them higher than a No. 8 seed, but the committee likely considered the fact that the ACC was having a down year.
Some games might have impacted their placement. Louisville’s losses to teams like Miami and Virginia Tech might have been considered. However, their impressive wins and overall performance should have outweighed these losses.
Selection Committee Defends the Decision
Amidst the uproar, North Carolina athletic director, Bubba Cunningham, who is also the NCAA Tournament selection committee chair, has attempted to defuse the situation by providing some context on why Louisville got a No. 8 seed.
“I think Louisville had a great year, but I do think when you take a look at our league, we ended up getting four teams into the tournament this year, obviously Duke being the leader of teams out of the ACC, Clemson. Clemson beating Duke certainly raised their profile,” Cunningham told reporters after the 68-team field was announced. “As the committee looked at and put Louisville into the field, and then we scrubbed them up and down the board, that’s where the committee felt that they should be ranked this year.”
Pat Kelsey Hurt After 8 Seed Placement
Meanwhile, Louisville coach Pat Kelsey expressed his disappointment following the 68-team field announcement.
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“I’ll be completely honest with you, when we were watching the selection show, when that (No. 8 seed) popped up, it hurt a little bit. You felt slighted a little bit,” Louisville coach Pat Kelsey said on Sunday night.
“My opinion, we should be playing a 12- or 11-seed. … We went 18-2 in the ACC, we 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 adds a little chip on your shoulder.”
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