Thursday afternoon Cardinal news and notes

Spread Check: Louisville by 2.

Today, Louisville will play a postseason basketball game for the first time in almost two years.

Guys, your thoughts?

Couldn't agree more.

Man, that Michigan State Elite 8 game feels like a different lifetime ago,

Congratulations to Donovan Mitchell on yet another honor.

University of Louisville sophomore guard Donovan Mitchell has been named to the District IV U.S. Basketball Writers Association Men's Team, based on voting from its national membership of 900-plus. The USBWA has selected All-District Teams since the 1956-57 season, its founding year.

The Greenwich, Conn. product was named a first team All-ACC selection earlier this week. Mitchell also earned ACC All-Defensive team honors after leading the conference in steals (66, 2.13 per game, 18th in the nation). He is within eight steals of the UofL top 10 for a season.

Mitchell leads the Cardinals in scoring (15.9 ppg), steals, three-point goals and minutes played (31.9 per game). His 76 three-pointers is tied for the ninth-most in a single season at Louisville. Since scoring 25 points against Indiana on New Year's Eve, Mitchell has averaged 19.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and made 41.7 percent of his three point shots (55-of-132). His 18.1 scoring average in ACC games is the sixth-best in the league. He totaled 20 points, five rebounds and two steals in the Cardinals' regular season finale against Notre Dame on Saturday, his ninth game this season with 20 or more points.

Using Joe Lunardi's current bracket as its model, Prediction Machine currently projects Louisville to be in the Final Four.

Grayson Allen threw another tantrum yesterday. He remains something of a distraction as Duke tries to make a run to a national title.

It's been nine years since we beat that ass in the second round, Blake. Time to get over it.

Chris Dobbertean's latest Bracketology for SB Nation is here.

In an extremely scary scene, Michigan's team plane ran off the runway during an aborted takeoff yesterday. The Wolverines are now being forced to wear practice uniforms for their first Big Ten Tournament game, which will tip-off at 12:20 instead of noon because the travel disaster. Because those 20 minutes will make all the difference in the world.

Also, the whole thing resulted in this happening .... for some reason.

The Big Ten and the Verizon Center have locked reporters in a room to avoid seeing the U-M player and staff members. A bit extreme, eh?

— Mark Snyder (@Mark__Snyder) March 9, 2017

And yet Rutgers beating Ohio State last night is still the weirdest thing that has happened at the tournament so far.

Here's what the Cards will be sporting against Duke this afternoon:

The Cards' @adidasHoops uniform for today's #ACCTourney game. #heretocreate #L1C4 pic.twitter.com/NOCN1je011

— Louisville Athletics (@GoCards) March 9, 2017

The U of L men's soccer team will kick off its spring season Friday night with an exhibition against Indy 11.

Duke is "night and day" different than the team Louisville faced back on Jan. 14.

This is so good.

Even though I am a @UNC_Basketball fan I made this for my daughter because she cheers for @NovaMBB and today is her birthday. #Marchmadness pic.twitter.com/PM4LL1Ecr7

— Jared Jacobs (@goldyeller) March 8, 2017

Ten U of L men's swimmers are headed to the NCAA Championships.

Jeff Brohm is going to make Purdue football fun again. Hopefully, just after his first game on the job.

Fly high, SRA Pickman.

@CardChronicle SRA Pickman is flying today, but he's going with Louisville over Duke. pic.twitter.com/aTdYYhf7NG

— Drew (@MasterDroo) March 9, 2017

The Raleigh News & Observer previews this afternoon's game.

Here's the schedule of festival events for this year's Final Four, just in case you're feeling really optimistic about the Cards and you love Macklemore.

Friday, March 31-AT&T Block Party

●      Performances from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Mountain Time

●      Artists and highlights to be announced

Saturday, April 1 -€” Coca-Cola Music

●      Live broadcast of the first semifinal game at Margaret T. Hance Park

●      The Chainsmokers

●      Performances from 2 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Mountain Time

●      Additional artists and highlights to be announced

Sunday, April 2 - Capital One JamFest^®

●      Aerosmith

●      Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

●      Performances from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Mountain Time

●      Additional artists and highlights to be announced

We really lucked out with Luda in 2013.

The Louisville baseball team has pushed back the first pitch of its ACC opener against Pitt on Friday to 4 p.m. The Panthers and Cardinals are set to play Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Cards prepared for Thursday's game by practicing at the Brooklyn Nets' facility on Wednesday.

Cards practice today at the Brooklyn Nets training center preparing for #ACCTourney vs Duke Thursday at 2 pm #L1C4 pic.twitter.com/ajCXkteRQ0

— Kenny Klein (@KKcards) March 8, 2017

Duke feels like it finally has some momentum in 2016-17, now it needs to beat Louisville in order to keep it going.

Louisville-Duke is likely to be the highest-profile quarterfinal game of any conference tournament this week.

You can listen to Louisville-Duke in its entirety this afternoon on 93.9 The Ville. Right when the game is over, R&R will go on the air and stay on the air until 6. Win or lose, I will be in rough shape and will want to be doing anything other than talking on the radio, which should be fun for all of you.

And finally, beat Duke.