Chris Mack Still Likes Louisville's Chances to Crack NCAA Tournament Field

(Photo of Chris Mack: Nell Redmond/USA TODAY Sports)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Heading into the ACC Tournament, the Louisville men's basketball program wasn't exactly guaranteed to make the NCAA Tournament. Many expert 'bracketologists' projected the Cardinals as a No. 10 or 11 seed, and had them quickly approaching 'bubble' territory.

If they weren't on the proverbial bubble beforehand, they certainly are now. Facing Duke in the second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, Louisville (13-7, 8-5 ACC) could not take down the Blue Devils for a third time, falling 70-56 in a game which was plagued by offensive stagnation and a lack of consistent effort.

Even with their standing to make the Big Dance in question, head coach Chris Mack still thinks his team can not only make the field of 68, but potentially do some damage,

"I think we're certainly capable of winning games in the NCAA Tournament given the opportunity," he said following the loss to Duke. "I think we've done enough to earn it, but I'm not in that room.

He's not the only one who agrees that Louisville is a tournament team. Immediately following the game, ESPN's Joe Lunardi still listed the Cardinals among the 'Last Four Byes', but he did note that they "could easily slide to 'Last Four In' before the week is out'.

Louisville's NCAA Tournament resume currently features just a 1-5 record in Quadrant 1, but 12-2 in Quadrants 2-4. Over the course of the season, several opportunities to bolster their case were stripped from the Cardinals due to their two COVID pauses.

But what games Louisville did play, it was enough to finish with the third-best strength of schedule in the ACC. Plus, two of their losses, to Wisconsin and North Carolina, came off of nearly three-week long COVID pauses, something that Mack is quick to point out.

"We played one of the hardest schedules. We've been on two COVID pauses," he said. "If the NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) -- if that includes margin of victory, two of our blowout losses were after we took multiple-day pauses coming off COVID on the road."

Selection Sunday, where the NCAA's 10-member selection committee will determine the field for the NCAA Tournament, is scheduled for Sunday, Mar. 14 at 6:00 p.m. EST on CBS.

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