Louisville to Face SMU in ACC Tournament Opener

The Cardinals and Mustangs split their regular season series.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Louisville will begin its quest for a second straight ACC Tournament run with a Wednesday afternoon matchup against SMU. The Mustangs, seeded 11th in the tournament, defeated No. 14 Syracuse 86-69 in the first round on Tuesday. SMU's Boopie Miller led the way with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Jaron Pierre Jr. and Jaden Toombs also scored in double figures. Louisville and SMU split their regular season series, with the Cardinals winning 88-74 at home and the Mustangs returning the favor 95-85 in Dallas.

Why it matters

This game is crucial for SMU, which currently sits on the NCAA Tournament bubble. A win over Louisville could significantly boost the Mustangs' chances of securing an at-large bid to the Big Dance.

The details

Playing without third-leading scorer B.J. Edwards due to an ankle injury, SMU got double-digit scoring from all five of its starters in the win over Syracuse. The Mustangs did not receive any points from their three bench players who saw action. Louisville and SMU split their two regular season meetings, with the Cardinals winning at home and the Mustangs winning on the road.

  • The game will take place on Wednesday afternoon.
  • SMU defeated Syracuse 86-69 in the first round on Tuesday.

The players

Boopie Miller

SMU's Second Team All-ACC honoree, who scored 25 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and dished out 4 assists in the win over Syracuse.

Jaron Pierre Jr.

SMU guard who scored 21 points, despite shooting just 5-of-17 from three-point range.

Jaden Toombs

SMU forward who recorded a double-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists.

B.J. Edwards

Louisville's third-leading scorer, who missed the game against SMU due to an ankle injury.

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What’s next

The winner of Wednesday's game between Louisville and SMU will advance to the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament.

The takeaway

This matchup between Louisville and SMU is a crucial one, as the Mustangs look to bolster their NCAA Tournament resume with a win over the Cardinals. The regular season series was split, setting the stage for an intriguing tournament showdown between these two programs.