KEY POINTS
- Ryan Conwell scored five points in the final 77 seconds to clinch a 62-58 victory.
- The No. 24 Cardinals advanced to the ACC quarterfinals despite missing star freshman Mikel Brown Jr.
- Louisville’s defense held SMU scoreless for nearly the final three minutes of the second round matchup.
The Louisville Cardinals kept their Atlantic Coast Conference tournament ambitions alive with a gritty second-round victory on Wednesday. Facing a determined SMU squad in Charlotte, the No. 6 seed Cardinals overcame a second-half deficit to win 62-58. This hard-fought performance sends Louisville into a highly anticipated quarterfinal matchup against Miami.
Ryan Conwell emerged as the primary hero for the Cardinals during the closing stages of the game. The guard finished with a team-high 16 points after taking control in the final two minutes. With the game tied, Conwell connected on a critical three-pointer to give Louisville a permanent lead. He followed that shot with a difficult left-handed layup to secure the four-point margin.
Louisville entered the contest facing significant roster challenges due to the absence of Mikel Brown Jr. The standout freshman was ruled out for the remainder of the tournament with a back injury. In his absence, several other players stepped up to provide necessary offensive production. Adrian Wooley contributed 14 points while Isaac McKneely added 10 points to the winning effort.
The SMU Mustangs provided a stern challenge throughout the afternoon by utilizing a patient offensive approach. They successfully limited possessions and led by as many as six points midway through the second half. Jaron Pierre Jr. paced the Mustangs with 17 points, including five successful shots from beyond the arc. However, the Mustangs struggled at the free-throw line, making only one of their three attempts.
A significant turning point occurred when SMU center Samet Yigitoglu faced foul trouble late in the period. His absence from the paint allowed Louisville’s Vangelis Zougris to find scoring opportunities near the rim. Zougris made his second career start and contributed seven points and four rebounds. His interior presence helped the Cardinals claw back into a game defined by 16 lead changes.
Defensively, Louisville locked down the Mustangs during the most critical moments of the postseason clash. SMU failed to score a single point during the final 2:43 of regulation play. Scoring leader Boopie Miller was held to just eight points on a difficult 4-of-17 shooting performance. The Mustangs missed six consecutive field goals to end their tournament run.
Head coach Pat Kelsey praised his team’s resilience following the emotional victory at the Spectrum Center. He noted that the squad found a way to win despite shooting under 40 percent from the field. The victory marks a successful turnaround after a regular-season loss to the Mustangs earlier in February.
The Cardinals now turn their attention to a rematch with the third-seeded Miami Hurricanes on Thursday. Louisville defeated Miami in their regular-season finale just five days ago. A win in the quarterfinals would move the Cardinals one step closer to their second consecutive ACC title game appearance.
