Louisville basketball is heating up at just the right time.
Winners of five straight, the Cardinals are riding a wave of momentum into Tuesday night’s rematch with SMU in Dallas. Pat Kelsey’s squad has found its rhythm, and the results are showing up not just in the win column, but in the national rankings as well.
Louisville enters the matchup at 19-6 overall and 8-4 in ACC play - a record that’s helped the Cards climb from No. 23 to No. 21 in both the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25. It’s a steady rise that reflects their recent success, including back-to-back victories last week over N.C. State and a statement win against Baylor in Fort Worth.
And it’s not just the polls taking notice. The Cardinals are now sitting 12th in the NET rankings - their highest mark since New Year’s Day, when they briefly touched No.
- That’s a strong position heading into the final stretch of the regular season, especially with resume-building opportunities still ahead.
Tuesday’s game against SMU is one of them. It’s officially a Quad 1 matchup, thanks to the Mustangs’ current NET ranking of 36. Louisville is currently 6-6 in Quad 1 games, and a road win in Dallas would add another quality notch to their tournament résumé.
SMU, at 17-8 (6-6), has been up and down since falling to Louisville in their first meeting back on Jan. 31.
The Mustangs are 2-2 in that stretch and are coming off a gut-wrenching 79-78 loss at Syracuse - a game that came down to the wire and slipped away in the final seconds. Under first-year head coach Andy Enfield, SMU has shown flashes of potential but struggled with consistency.
For Kelsey, though, the focus remains squarely on his own group - and it’s clear he likes what he sees.
“I love where our team’s at,” Kelsey said after the Baylor win at Dickies Arena. “I love my team - love everything about them.
I love the competitive makeup of it. I love the pieces and the talent they bring together.
I love their approach. I love their professionalism.
I love their selflessness. I love my team.”
That kind of chemistry has been evident during Louisville’s recent stretch. The Cardinals are playing connected basketball - defending with purpose, sharing the ball, and showing the kind of toughness that travels well, especially in hostile environments like the one they’ll face in Dallas.
Meanwhile, at the top of the national rankings, there’s been a shakeup. Michigan is the new unanimous No. 1 after previously unbeaten Arizona dropped two games last week.
The rest of the top five now features Houston at No. 2, Duke at No.
3, Arizona falling to No. 4, and UConn rounding it out at No. 5.
The ACC continues to make its presence felt nationally. Five teams landed in the coaches poll this week - Duke (No.
3), Virginia (No. 14), North Carolina (No.
20), Louisville (No. 21), and Clemson (No. 24).
In the AP poll, four ACC programs made the cut: Duke (No. 3), Virginia (No.
14), North Carolina (No. 16), and Louisville (No. 21).
For Louisville, Tuesday’s game is more than just the final stop on a Texas road trip - it’s a chance to keep the momentum rolling, strengthen their tournament profile, and show once again that Kelsey’s crew is more than just a hot team. They’re a team built for March.