No. 24 Louisville Faces Familiar Foe SMU in ACC Tournament

The Cardinals and Mustangs meet for the third time in less than 1.5 months

Mar. 11, 2026 at 5:35pm

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No. 24 Louisville (22-9) will take on No. 11 seed SMU (20-12) in the second round of the ACC Tournament on Wednesday. The teams have already met twice in the regular season, with each side winning at home. Louisville is looking to build momentum after a late-season slump, while SMU is hoping to bolster its NCAA Tournament resume with a win.

Why it matters

This matchup features two of the highest-scoring teams in the ACC this season. The winner will advance in the conference tournament, with potential NCAA Tournament implications on the line for both squads.

The details

Louisville won the first regular-season meeting 88-74 on Jan. 31, but SMU evened the season series with a 95-85 victory on Feb. 17. The Mustangs are coming off an 86-69 win over Syracuse in the first round, while the Cardinals are looking to build off a late-season win over nationally ranked Miami. Louisville's Ryan Conwell was named to the All-ACC second team, while teammate Mikel Brown Jr. earned third-team honors.

  • The teams will meet in the second round of the ACC Tournament on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
  • Louisville and SMU previously played on Jan. 31 and Feb. 17 during the regular season.

The players

Andy Enfield

The head coach of the SMU Mustangs.

Pat Kelsey

The head coach of the Louisville Cardinals, in his second season with the team.

Boopie Miller

SMU's leading scorer, averaging 19.5 points per game.

Jaron Pierre Jr.

SMU's second-leading scorer, averaging 17.6 points per game.

Ryan Conwell

Louisville player who was voted to the All-ACC second team.

Mikel Brown Jr.

Louisville player who was voted to the All-ACC third team.

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What they’re saying

“We must come out and we must score the ball against them, and also defend a little bit.”

— Andy Enfield, SMU Head Coach

“It's nice to get a win going into conference tournament play. There's a lot of belief in that locker room. I'm excited about what's to come.”

— Pat Kelsey, Louisville Head Coach

What’s next

The winner of Wednesday's matchup will advance to the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament.

The takeaway

This highly anticipated rematch between two of the ACC's top scoring teams will have major implications for both Louisville and SMU's postseason hopes. The Cardinals are looking to build momentum, while the Mustangs are fighting to bolster their NCAA Tournament resume.