The University of Louisville basketball team deserved a much better end to the 2024-25 season than a 89-75 defeat to Creighton in a first round game of the NCAA tournament in Lexington. This team, under the leadership of first year Coach Pat Kelsey, returned Louisville basketball to its rightful place in the hearts of UofL fans everywhere.
From the depths of despair to the pinnacle of great expectations. A season that made it possible for Cardinal fans to holds their heads high again, to resume their place among the sports most enthusiastic supporters in college basketball. From a team a year ago that was impossible to watch to a team in 2024-25 that made it possible for fans to realize that anything was achievable.
A few breaks here and there and this University of Louisville team is back in the Sweet 16, the Elite Eight and the Final Four. But it became apparent on Selection Sunday that March Madness would throw some major obstacles in UofL path this year. Bubba Cunningham, shame on you, head of the committee, the North Carolina Athletic Director, presiding over a sham operation. Getting UNC in the tournament over numerous more worthy teams, earning a $104,000-plus bonus for his influence. Allowing Clemson, which UofL defeated twice, to be seeded higher than UofL.
Disgraceful treatment from the representative of a fellow Atlantic Coast Conference school. Don’t ever forget the name Bubba Cunningham. What goes around tends to come around. But it can’t come soon enough for Big Bad Bubba.
Thursday was UofL’s worst possible scenario against a respectable Creighton team, second place team in the Big East Conference. Playing inspired basketball, they seemed to be unable to miss during a critical span in the first half. Creighton went 10 of 11 from the 3-point line during a five-minute stretch, facing to a 49-34 lead at the half. The damage had been done, the Cardinals could not recover.
Louisville was a mere shadow of the team that won 21 of it last 23 games. The smallish Cardinals no longer and the manpower or the beef to contend with the heavyweights. They seemed to lose it during their narrowing escape over Clemson in the semi-finals of the ACC Tournament, only to resurface in the first half against Duke in the championship game, only to go under halfway during that loss.
Hopefully, UofL continues to attract high caliber and stronger players during the off season. Competing in the NCAA basketball these days is no longer largely dependent skill and/or finesse. There has to be big guys in the middle and mucho muscle to go along with good coaching, speed and quality shooting.
No one is more aware of that than Pat Kelsey. He made UofL fans believers again. The future has only just begun again for Louisville basketball.
