Louisville rallies late to beat SMU 62-58 in the ACC Tournament as Jaron Pierre Jr. scores 17 and the Mustangs now wait anxiously for NCAA Tournament selection.
The SMU Mustangs’ ACC Tournament run came to a grinding halt Wednesday night as Louisville used a late surge to escape with a 62-58 victory, leaving SMU’s NCAA Tournament hopes hanging in the balance.
In a physical, defense-heavy battle at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, SMU had its chances. But the Cardinals made the final plays when it mattered most.
For much of the night, the Mustangs looked poised to advance.
Jaron Pierre Jr. led SMU with 17 points, continuing the strong scoring form that helped him surpass 2,170 career points, ranking him among the top active scorers in NCAA Division I basketball.
Freshman Jaden Toombs delivered one of his best performances of the season with 13 points, nine rebounds, three steals and three blocks, while Corey Washington chipped in 10 points.
SMU’s defense also showed up in a big way early. The Mustangs held Louisville to just 26 first-half points and limited the Cardinals to 39.6 percent shooting overall. At one point in the second half, SMU built a 41-35 lead after consecutive 3-pointers from Sam Walters and Pierre.
But the momentum shifted when 7-1 center Samet Yigitoglu was forced to the bench with foul trouble midway through the second half. That opened the paint for Louisville big man Vangelis Zougris, who scored several key baskets inside to help the Cardinals erase the deficit.
Even then, SMU refused to fold. Pierre drove to the basket to give the Mustangs a 58-56 lead with just over three minutes remaining. That’s when Ryan Conwell took over.
The Louisville guard buried a clutch 3-pointer with 1:17 left, giving the Cardinals the lead for good. After a missed SMU shot on the next possession, Conwell attacked the lane and finished a left-handed layup with 29 seconds remaining, sealing the outcome.
Despite the loss, SMU finished the season 20-13 in head coach Andy Enfield’s second year, marking back-to-back 20-win seasons under his leadership. It’s a sign of real progress for a program still adjusting to life in the ACC.
The Mustangs were also playing short-handed, with senior guard B.J. Edwards missing his fifth straight game due to injury.
Edwards, one of the ACC’s top defenders and playmakers, averaged 12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.3 steals per game this season.
Now the waiting begins. SMU entered the game No. 37 in the NCAA NET rankings, and with a 4-9 record in Quad 1 games, the Mustangs will anxiously watch Selection Sunday to see whether their resume is strong enough to earn a spot in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.