Bracketology: 8 Weeks Before Selection Sunday

Mark BlankenbakerJanuary 18, 2016

Selection Sunday is 8 weeks from yesterday and it’s probably time to begin looking at where the Cards are at the moment. With a REALLY tough schedule upcoming UofL can make gains towards their seeding AND they can also slide from their current position.

There is one thing to keep in mind.

Louisville can’t play in the South Regional because the Yum! Center hosts the Regional Semifinals & Regional Final (Sweet 16 & Elite 8) there this season. This will limit Louisville to 3 Regional options for 2016.

The other Regional locations are: Anaheim, CA (Honda Center-WEST), Philadelphia, PA (Wells Fargo Center-EAST), or Chicago, IL (United Center (Midwest). Chicago is probably the most fan friendly option but there isn’t an Indianapolis or Nashville here for Louisville fans so Chicago may as well be Anaheim for many.

The most fan-friendly route is probably Louisville playing its 1st & 2nd round match-ups in St. Louis and playing in Chicago for the Regional rounds.

Joe Lunardi

#4 Seed in the Midwest (Chicago) via Spokane, WA.

Lunardi currently has Louisville as the #4 seed in the Midwest Region (Chicago) via Spokane, WA. Lunardi projects the Cards to play #13 seed Chattanooga in Round 1 with the winner of that contest to play the winner of USC/Hawai’i to advance to the Sweet 16.

Seeds of the Lundari Midwest Region

Kansas
Xavier
Michigan State (of course)
Louisville
USC
Oregon
Wichita St
Michigan
Gonzaga
Valparaiso
VCU
Hawai’i
Chattanooga
Belmont
CSU-Bakersfield
Mount St. Mary’s/Hampton

Jerry Palm

#6 Seed in West Region (Anaheim) via Denver.

The thought of Denver as a 1st round site should give Cardinal fans anxiety as UofL fell there in the 1st round in 2011 vs. Morehead State. To this day Rick Pitino still references Kenneth Faried. Faried played so well in Denver that the Nuggets actually drafted him. Additionally the Final Four in 2011? Houston…..the same as the 2016 Final Four.

Palm has the Cards as the #6 seed in the West Region (Anaheim) via Denver, CO. Jerry projects the Cards playing the winner of an 11-seed play-in game vs. California & St. Joseph’s. The winner of the 6/11 match-up would be the winner of the #3/#14 game Texas A&M/IU-Purdue Ft. Wayne to advance to the Sweet 16.

Seeds of the Jerry Palm West Region