SMU Beats No. 21 Louisville 95-85 in ACC Showdown
SMU basketball defeated No. 21 Louisville 95-85 on Tuesday night, snapping the Cardinals’ five-game winning streak in a dominant home performance at Moody Coliseum that strengthens the Mustangs’ push toward their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2017.
Jaron Pierre Jr. led SMU (18-8, 7-6 ACC) with 25 points, while Boopie Miller contributed 23 points and nine assists in the pivotal victory. Corey Washington added 18 points for the Mustangs, who went on a devastating run in the final stretch to seal the win.
Crucial Second-Half Run Decides Louisville vs SMU
The game remained tightly contested with 17 lead changes and 16 ties between two of the ACC’s highest-scoring offenses. Louisville (19-6, 8-5 ACC) led 74-73 with eight minutes remaining after freshman standout Mikel Brown Jr. executed a driving reverse layup through traffic.
SMU basketball responded decisively. Miller’s short floater in the lane with 6:19 remaining broke a 76-all tie and ignited a six-game scoring streak that put the Mustangs in control. Miller’s alley-oop pass to Pierre for a dunk with 1:49 left pushed the lead to 91-83 and sent the already-loud Moody Coliseum crowd into a frenzy.
Brown Continues Scoring Surge for Louisville
Brown finished with 29 points for the second consecutive game, matching a remarkable stretch of dominance after posting an ACC freshman record 45 points against North Carolina State on February 9. J’Vonne Hadley contributed 14 points and nine rebounds, while Ryan Conwell scored 12 for Louisville.
SMU led 52-49 at halftime before pulling away in the second half. The victory marks the Mustangs’ second home win this season over a ranked ACC opponent, following their 97-83 upset of then-No. 12 North Carolina on January 3—their first victory over a Top 25 team under second-year coach Andy Enfield.
Tournament Implications
The win significantly bolsters SMU’s NCAA Tournament resume at a critical juncture of the season. Louisville will look to rebound at home Saturday against Georgia Tech, while SMU hosts Boston College in its next contest.
