Louisville Overrated?: Why the Cardinals Aren't a Worthy No. 1 Seed

Matt Miselis by Senior Writer Written on March 08, 2009
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Foul! Foul!

Yes, I have said it. This year's Louisville Cardinals are not a worthy No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Cards won the regular season Big East crown, leaving no doubt they are an elite team. However, they haven't had the worthy opponents that other teams have had to face.

Before I go on about what happened in their conference, let me discuss the disappointment in non-conference. They played the likes of South Alabama, Indiana State, Ohio, and Lamar—weak opponents.

They lost to Western Kentucky and Minnesota on a neutral site—games they should've won. They also lost to UNLV—a team that might not make it to the dance—on their home court by one point.

Out of their non-conference play, only Morehead State, a No. 4 in the Ohio Valley Conference, will be playing in the tournament. Nothing against them; however, I wouldn't call them a top opponent to schedule.

The Cards also had more of an easy ride in the Big East than any other team. The Cards didn't have to play on the road against Pitt or UConn.

They beat the Panthers at home but lost to the Huskies. UConn beat Louisville, so UConn should have an edge over them. The Cards beat Pitt, but the Panthers defeated the Huskies twice, at home and on the road.

Don't forget to mention that Louisville got embarrassed against Notre Dame, losing to the Irish by 33.

If the Cards played at Pitt and UConn, I have no doubt that they would have lost both of those games, finishing 14-4 in conference, and not being this year's regular season champs.

Don't get me wrong, they are a good young team on the rise, yet they are not deserving of a top seed in the dance.

Thus far, I have Pitt and UConn as No. 1s from the Big East (assuming they don't lose in the semifinal round). I also have North Carolina out of the ACC—who will still get in if they don't win the tournament.

The fourth and final seed is between Oklahoma and Michigan State. With Blake Griffin, the Sooners are a force to be reckoned with, while the Spartans managed five losses with the tough schedule they had.

Louisville should get a No. 2 seed in the tournament, and should do well. Frankly, I can't see them getting to the Final Four, depending on what bracket they are in. I wouldn't even be shocked to see if they don't get to the Elite Eight, as they are a predictable team.

Sorry, Cards fans, this just isn't your year.

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written on March 08, 2009 Opinion

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