March Madness is all about chaos, upsets, and unforgettable moments. But this? Nobody saw this coming. Louisville, a No. 8 seed that many believed was ranked too low—especially considering their No. 10 spot in the AP Poll—finally returned to the NCAA Tournament after a six-year drought. Expectations were sky-high, and even BartTorvik.com predicted a Cardinals victory, projecting a 75-72 final score. But Creighton had other plans.

The ninth-seeded Bluejays didn’t just pull off an 89-75 upset—they completely ran Louisville off the court in a dominant first-round blowout. Just like that, brackets were busted. And as expected, fans wasted no time heading to the comment sections—but this time, their reactions were a bit different.

It all started with the South Region first-round matchup between Louisville and Creighton. As the teams stepped onto the court, it was immediately clear that Creighton wasn’t intimidated. Louisville came out strong, but it didn’t take long for their biggest weakness—defense—to be exposed.

The Bluejays wasted no time attacking the paint, racking up 16 points inside within the first 10 minutes. And then, they turned up the heat from beyond the arc. That’s when things spiraled out of control.

Creighton sharpshooter Steven Ashworth set the tone, dropping 13 first-half points and drilling three triples. Meanwhile, Ryan Kalkbrenner asserted himself inside, adding seven points and a couple of rebounds before halftime. And then came the knockout punch—a devastating 19-2 Creighton run that left Louisville completely rattled.

The Bluejays simply couldn’t miss, knocking down nine first-half threes at a scorching 54% clip. Louisville had no answers. Their rotations were sluggish, their perimeter defense was nonexistent, and Creighton’s pick-and-roll game left them scrambling on nearly every possession.

By the time the halftime buzzer sounded, it was clear: this wasn’t just an upset. It was a statement. As the final whistle blew, the Bluejays had built a commanding 14-point lead. For Louisville, this wasn’t just a loss—it was a squandered chance to reclaim their storied March legacy, with two official national titles (1980, 1986) and no tournament wins since 2017. And with the game not going as expected, fans didn’t hold back their frustrations. The criticism came fast—and it was brutal.

‘Should’ve Trusted Creighton!’ – fans react as Louisville’s March Madness hopes crumble

As expected, the college basketball world was buzzing online after Creighton’s stunning first-round win over Louisville. But the reason behind the buzz was particularly interesting.

“Analytics folks (zero ball knowledge) picked Louisville, and those boys nice watchers picked Creighton,” one user wrote on X. It was a sentiment echoed across social media—while the numbers may have favored Louisville, those who trusted the eye test saw this coming.

Despite being an under-seeded No. 8, Louisville entered the tournament with plenty of hype. A win would have been their first NCAA Tournament victory since 2017, in a setting eerily similar to that historic moment. They certainly had the résumé to back up their confidence, finishing the regular season with a 27-7 record. On paper, they had every reason to believe they could make a run. Their opponent, Creighton, finished second in the Big East with a solid 24-10 record, earning them a No. 9 seed in the South Region.

But as the game unfolded, Louisville’s flaws became glaringly obvious. Creighton, battle-tested in March, simply had the edge.

“I had Creighton 1H +1.5 then pivoted to Louisville 1H ML, not a good move,” another user admitted, summing up the unpredictability of March Madness.

Looking at advanced metrics, Louisville entered the tournament ranked 23rd in KenPom, boasting the 29th-best offense and 21st-best defense. Creighton, on the other hand, ranked 37th overall, with the 34th-ranked offense and 42nd-ranked defense. But the numbers didn’t tell the whole story—Creighton had the experience, reaching the tournament’s second weekend in three of the last four postseasons. Even coming off an 82-66 loss to St. John’s in the Big East Tournament final, the Bluejays were prepared for the moment.

And history wasn’t on Louisville’s side, either. The Cardinals were just 1-2 all-time against Creighton, with both losses coming in March Madness. Their last meeting? A first-round clash in 1999, when No. 10 Creighton upset No. 7 Louisville in Orlando. The ghosts of the past seemed to haunt them once again, as Creighton’s tournament magic continued.

“I should’ve trusted Creighton’s experience in March over Louisville being underseeded,” one fan reflected. It was a valid point—this was Creighton’s fifth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament’s second round. Just last year, they had reached the Elite Eight, falling in a heartbreaking loss to San Diego State.

For Louisville, the frustration was visible, especially on the sidelines. As the game slipped away late in the second half, head coach Pat Kelsey let his emotions get the best of him. With 4:40 left and his team trailing 73-61, he got into a heated exchange with an official—resulting in a technical foul.

That decision proved costly. Creighton wasted no time taking advantage, as Steven Ashworth calmly sank both free throws before Jamiya Neal knocked down a jumper. Just like that, a manageable deficit turned into a 77-61 blowout, with the Bluejays eventually closing it out 89-75.

The internet wasn’t kind to Louisville after the loss. “Louisville is a fucking joke #Louisville #Creighton #LOSERville,” one user posted bluntly. The Cardinals had entered the tournament feeling disrespected, believing that a No. 10-ranked team receiving an 8-seed was an insult. But instead of proving the doubters wrong, they collapsed on the biggest stage, their defensive issues and lack of composure sealing their fate.

Creighton, on the other hand, showed why they are a team built for March. Kalkbrenner dominated inside, Ashworth orchestrated the offense with poise, and Neal stepped up in key moments. The Bluejays didn’t just win—they made a statement.

“Analytics folks (zero ball knowledge) picked Louisville, them boys nice watchers picked Creighton,” another user reiterated, and this time, there was no argument. The Bluejays were simply the better team.

For Louisville, this one will sting for a while. After a six-year drought, their long-awaited return to the NCAA Tournament ended in embarrassment. Pat Kelsey now faces a tough offseason, needing to address the team’s glaring defensive flaws and prepare for next year.

As for Creighton, the dream is still alive. With this emphatic win, they advance to face the winner of No. 1 Auburn and No. 16 Alabama State on Saturday, March 22, 2025. Auburn looms large, but Creighton’s 49.7% three-point attempt rate could pose problems. If they keep playing like this, they just might be the team no one wants to see. Do you agree??