Louisville Cardinals Defeat SMU Mustangs in Rematch

Louisville extends win streak to 6 games with victory over conference rival SMU

Feb. 18, 2026 at 7:39pm

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The Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team defeated the SMU Mustangs in their rematch game, winning by a comfortable margin. Louisville, currently in the middle of the pack in the ACC standings, has now won 7 of their last 8 games and is building momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

Why it matters

This win is an important one for Louisville as they look to solidify their position in the NCAA tournament picture. SMU, while a solid team, is still considered a class below Louisville, so this victory helps the Cardinals maintain their status as one of the better teams in the country.

The details

Louisville, led by their strong all-around play, were able to defeat SMU by a comfortable margin. The Cardinals were paced by their balanced scoring attack, with several players contributing in the win. This was the second time this season that Louisville has beaten SMU, having previously defeated them by 14 points on the road.

  • Louisville and SMU faced off on February 17, 2026.
  • This was the second meeting between the two teams this season.

The players

Louisville Cardinals

The Louisville men's basketball team, currently in the middle of the pack in the ACC standings, has won 7 of their last 8 games and is building momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

SMU Mustangs

The SMU men's basketball team, while a solid program, is still considered a class below Louisville and has struggled in recent games, losing 3 of their last 5 contests.

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The takeaway

This victory for Louisville over their conference rival SMU is an important one as the Cardinals look to solidify their position in the NCAA tournament picture. While SMU is a solid team, Louisville proved they are the superior squad, extending their win streak to 6 games and further establishing themselves as one of the better teams in the country.