Louisville and Kentucky basketball coaches Pat Kelsey and Mark Pope, who were both hired in the same year, need to perform well in the NCAA Tournament to ensure their successful seasons. Both teams have had an up-and-down season, with Louisville receiving a 6-seed and Kentucky receiving a 7-seed in the tournament. A Sweet 16 appearance would allow both programs to consider the season a success and find optimism in the long-term outlook. A win in the first round is expected, but it won't be easy for Louisville. Kentucky will face South Florida on Thursday in Buffalo, with the nation's third-longest active winning streak of 11 games. Despite being the No. 8 seed, a Sweet 16 berth would likely require the teams to face Michigan State and Iowa State.