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With SMU, Louisville sidelined, tourney field widens for other hopefuls

Perspectives change quickly, don’t they?

Six days ago, Louisville fans were devastated by their team’s embarrassing loss at home to Virginia. The Cardinals were never competitive in a game they lost by 16 points, and suddenly a team that started the season with Final Four dreams looked like a team that would be lucky to even win a single game in March Madness.

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At least there was still a thread of hope for a deep postseason run, though. And two days after the Virginia loss, fans’ hopes were revived when the Cardinals produced a spirited upset of North Carolina, a team that’s a legitimate national title contender.