Louisville defeated South Florida 83-79 on Thursday in the Round of 64 at the KeyBank Center, marking the Cardinals’ first NCAA Tournament victory in nearly a decade. The win also gave second-year head coach Pat Kelsey his first March Madness triumph at Louisville.

The Cardinals built a lead as large as 23 points in the second half but had to hold off a furious late push from 11th-seeded South Florida. The Bulls cut the margin to single digits with just over five minutes remaining, but Louisville’s defense and timely free throws preserved the win.

Key contributors included Isaiah McKneely and Ryan Conwell, who scored 23 and 18 points, respectively. The Cardinals dominated the boards and played physical defense to manage the Bulls’ full-court press late in the game. Louisville overcame the absence of star Mikal Brown Jr., who is out with a lower back injury.

After a slow offensive start, Louisville went on a 19-4 run in the first half to establish control and extended their advantage with a 21-6 surge early in the second half. Despite shooting struggles and turnovers, the Cardinals made enough plays to maintain the lead and withstand South Florida’s rally.

Louisville will face either No. 3 seed Michigan State or No. 14 seed North Dakota State in the Round of 32 on Saturday, March 21, with tip-off time to be determined.