Louisville Cardinals rally to defeat SMU Mustangs, 62-58, in ACC Tournament

The Cardinals overcame a late deficit to advance in the conference tournament

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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The Louisville men's basketball team earned a 62-58 come-from-behind victory over SMU in the second round of the ACC Tournament. The Cardinals used a late 6-0 run, including five points from Ryan Conwell, to take a four-point lead in the final 30 seconds and seal the win.

Why it matters

Louisville's win over SMU keeps their ACC Tournament hopes alive as they look to make a deep run and potentially earn an NCAA Tournament bid. The Cardinals have struggled to close out games with a lead this season, so this comeback victory could provide a much-needed confidence boost.

The details

Louisville trailed by six points midway through the second half, but chipped away at the deficit and took the lead for good on a 6-0 run capped by five points from Ryan Conwell in the final minutes. The Cardinals shot 39.6% from the field and 23.1% from three-point range, while SMU only attempted three free throws the entire game.

  • Louisville used a 7-0 run over a minute to take a 24-19 lead with 5:03 left in the first half, but didn't score another field goal before halftime.
  • SMU scored the final three buckets of the first half, using a 6-0 run over the last 2:23 to tie the game at 26-26 at the break.
  • SMU used an 11-2 run over two minutes to take a six-point lead in the second half.
  • Louisville chipped away at the deficit, and with six straight points from Vangelis Zougris between 6:52 and 5:38, the Cardinals gained a 52-50 lead.
  • Louisville was down 53-52 with five minutes to play, but scored six of the final eight points to seal the 62-58 victory.

The players

Ryan Conwell

A Louisville guard who scored the game-winning bucket and finished with a team-high 16 points.

Isaac McKneely

A Louisville guard who stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists in 39 minutes of action.

Adrian Wooley

A Louisville guard who logged his 11th double-digit scoring night with 14 points, six rebounds and two assists.

Vangelis Zougris

A Louisville forward who scored seven points, six of them coming at a critical point in the second half, and added four rebounds and an assist.

Pat Kelsey

The head coach of the Louisville Cardinals, who earned his first win when trailing with five minutes to play this season.

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What they’re saying

“We must find a way to close out games when we have the lead. This win shows the fight and resilience of our team, and we'll need that same energy as we advance in the tournament.”

— Pat Kelsey, Head Coach, Louisville Cardinals (Louisville Courier-Journal)

What’s next

Louisville will face the winner of the North Carolina-Virginia Tech game in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament on Friday.

The takeaway

Louisville's comeback victory over SMU demonstrates the team's ability to battle back from adversity and grind out a win, a trait that will be crucial as they continue their postseason run. The Cardinals' resilience in the face of a late deficit could provide a much-needed boost of confidence heading into the later rounds of the tournament.