Louisville a No. 8, Clemson a No. 5 in NCAA Tournament? Cards fans react

[ASFN Admin]

Louisville basketball's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019: There's good news and bad news.

Let's start with the good: Pat Kelsey's Cardinals will play at Rupp Arena in Lexington.

Then, the bad: U of L is a No. 8 seed — drawing No. 9 Creighton in the first round Thursday. Kelsey & Co.'s reward for notching the program's first March Madness win since 2017? In all likelihood, a showdown with the tournament's top overall seed, Auburn.

That's not all: Clemson, which has two losses to Louisville, including Friday's defeat in the ACC Tournament semifinals, was awarded a No. 5 seed — thanks in large part to its Feb. 8 upset of Duke. The Tigers have to go to Providence, Rhode Island, for a first-round game vs. No. 12 McNeese State but at least avoided a No. 1 seed in Round 2.

Here's a look at how Cards fans and others around the college hoops world reacted to the news:

Louisville basketball NCAA Tournament 2025 seed: Reactions to Cards spot in March Madness bracket​

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Louisville was the fourth team to hear its name called on Selection Sunday; after which reactions started flying on X, formerly Twitter. Let's start with a member of the team, Frank Anselem-Ibe:

…8?

— Frank Anselem- Ibe (@the2kfranky) March 16, 2025

I don't get Louisville as an 8. At all.

But it gets to play in Lexington so ... cool???

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) March 16, 2025

Louisville as an 8 means the committee had them somewhere 29-32 on their seed list.

There's literally not a metric on their team sheet that is that low. pic.twitter.com/BHvlJAaAl0

— Mike Rutherford (@CardChronicle) March 16, 2025

Auburn having to potentially play Louisville in Lexington in an No. 1 vs. 8 game is an ALL-TIME screw job for an overall No. 1 seed

— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) March 16, 2025

So let me get this straight:

Louisville and Clemson were right next to each other in the NET rankings, the Cardinals won both matchups, but the Tigers got a 5 seed and Cards got an 8?

Like what are we doing here bro

— Dalton Pence (@dpence_) March 16, 2025

Wait. Auburn is the top seed but may have to face Louisville in the state of Kentucky in the second round?

— Brandon Marcello (@bmarcello) March 16, 2025

"Louisville is a what seed?" pic.twitter.com/OiKhQABUr1

— Conor O'Neill (@ConorONeill_DI) March 16, 2025

There are a billion mock brackets on https://t.co/BsZEWaz2cT. A grand total of two projected Louisville to be an 8-seed. Twice as many projected them to be a 4-seed.

Still blown away.

— Mike Rutherford (@CardChronicle) March 16, 2025

I’m elated that Louisville is in the NCAAT

But that could be the most undeserving seed in school history

Paint Rupp Red

— ᴋᴇᴠɪɴ ᴡʀɪɢʜᴛ (@KLW0408) March 16, 2025

The confusion only intensified after North Carolina made the cut as a No. 11 — and Clemson earned a No. 5 seed.

Was stunned to see Louisville announced as a No. 8 seed after the season it had (esp considering it just played No. 1 Duke for a conference championship), but even more confused/surprised after seeing UNC squeak in.

If the committee is down on the ACC, how did we get this? https://t.co/lracQUycEE

— Payton Titus (@petitus25) March 16, 2025

the committee putting Louisville in as an 8 seed vs putting UNC in the tournament pic.twitter.com/x0rQxjIJVj

— Annie Agar (@AnnieAgar) March 16, 2025

And Clemson who we beat twice at FIVE?!?!?

— Ryan McMahon (@RyanMcMahon) March 16, 2025

I’m pretty sure the second win over Clemson did nothing for Louisville. What a waste of energy.

— CC (@TheBestWager) March 16, 2025

Clemson wasn’t punished for being swept by a lowly seed it seems

— Nick Coffey (@TheCardConnect) March 16, 2025

Reach Louisville men's basketball reporter Brooks Holton at [email protected] and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.



This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville basketball fans react to NCAA Tournament seeding

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