Louisville, Kentucky Prepare for ACC, SEC Tournaments

Cardinals and Wildcats set to compete in conference postseason play

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The University of Louisville and University of Kentucky men's basketball teams are set to compete in their respective conference tournaments this week. Louisville, the No. 6 seed in the ACC Tournament, will face the winner of SMU and Syracuse in the second round on Wednesday. Kentucky, the No. 9 seed in the SEC Tournament, will take on No. 16 LSU in the first round on Wednesday.

Why it matters

The conference tournaments are crucial for both teams as they look to secure bids to the NCAA Tournament. Louisville is hoping to improve its seeding, while Kentucky is fighting to keep its tournament hopes alive after a disappointing regular season.

The details

Louisville finished the regular season with a 22-9 record and will face the winner of SMU and Syracuse in the second round of the ACC Tournament on Wednesday. If they win, they will advance to play No. 3 seed Miami on Thursday. Kentucky, on the other hand, dropped to the No. 9 seed in the SEC Tournament after a 19-12 regular season. The Wildcats will take on No. 16 seed LSU in the first round, and if they win, they will face No. 8 seed Missouri on Thursday.

  • The ACC Tournament will be held from March 10-14 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
  • The SEC Tournament will be held from March 11-15 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

The players

University of Louisville

The University of Louisville men's basketball team, also known as the Cardinals, is the No. 6 seed in the ACC Tournament.

University of Kentucky

The University of Kentucky men's basketball team, also known as the Wildcats, is the No. 9 seed in the SEC Tournament.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The winners of the ACC and SEC Tournaments will receive automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament, which begins on March 17.

The takeaway

The conference tournaments are crucial for both Louisville and Kentucky as they look to secure their spots in the NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals are hoping to improve their seeding, while the Wildcats are fighting to keep their tournament hopes alive after a disappointing regular season.