Louisville basketball is among the top national championship contenders entering Year 2 of the Pat Kelsey era in the eyes of oddsmakers.

Last season, the Louisville Cardinals ended an NCAA Tournament drought dating back to 2019 but lost to Creighton in the first round.

Key newcomers on U of L's 2025-26 roster include freshman Mikel Brown Jr. and transfers Ryan Conwell, Isaac McKneely and Adrian Wooley.

Pat Kelsey needed only a year on the job to lead Louisville basketball from historic lows back into the national spotlight .

Expectations entering 2025-26 are sky high externally and internally — no matter how much Kelsey harps on being laser focused only on "the next thing." That's what happens when a program signs a McDonald's All-American like Mikel Brown Jr. , crushes the N

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