CHARLOTTE, N.C. — SMU’s push in the ACC Tournament came up just short Wednesday night.
The 11th-seeded Mustangs battled No. 6 seed Louisville deep into the second half before falling 62-58 in a second-round matchup at Spectrum Center, ending SMU’s run with a 20-13 record.
For stretches, SMU looked capable of pulling off the upset. The Mustangs defended at a high level early, holding Louisville to just 26 first-half points and limiting the Cardinals to 2-of-14 shooting from 3-point range before halftime. But in a game where every possession mattered, Louisville made the plays SMU could not down the stretch.
SMU, one of the ACC’s top offensive teams entering the night at 85.0 points per game, never fully found its usual rhythm. The Mustangs shot 42.9% from the floor and knocked down nine 3-pointers, but a major difference came at the foul line. SMU went just 1 of 3 on free throws, while Louisville converted 14 of 20.
That gap proved costly in a four-point game.
Jaron Pierre Jr. led SMU with 17 points and buried five 3-pointers, continuing his steady scoring production in a big postseason moment. Jaden Toombs turned in one of his strongest performances of the season, finishing with 13 points, nine rebounds, three steals and three blocks in his fourth start. Corey Washington added 10 points as the Mustangs placed three players in double figures.
Boopie Miller, an All-ACC second-team selection, scored eight points, grabbed eight rebounds and handed out four assists. He also moved closer to another milestone, leaving the game with 1,996 career points.
Pierre added another notable benchmark of his own. His 17-point outing pushed his career total to 2,170 points, keeping him among the nation’s active Division I scoring leaders.
SMU was again without B.J. Edwards, who missed his fifth straight game because of injury. His absence remained significant for a Mustangs team that has leaned on his all-around production all season. Edwards, an All-ACC honorable mention pick and member of the league’s All-Defensive Team, started the first 28 games of the year and finished the regular season as one of SMU’s most versatile players.
Even with that setback, the Mustangs showed fight against one of the conference’s top teams. SMU held Louisville to 39.6% shooting from the field and forced the Cardinals to work through a physical, contested game from start to finish. But the offensive consistency that carried the Mustangs through much of the season was harder to find in the closing minutes.
The loss closes another 20-win season for second-year coach Andy Enfield, who became the first coach in program history to guide SMU to at least 20 victories in each of his first two seasons. After winning 24 games a year ago, the Mustangs followed it up with 20 more in their second season under Enfield.
For SMU, the night was a reminder of both how far the program has come and how narrow the margin can be in March. The Mustangs had Louisville on the ropes defensively for much of the night, but the Cardinals did just enough late to move on.
SMU now turns its attention to what comes next, with its postseason future set to be determined after a competitive showing against a Louisville team that entered the night with a strong NCAA Tournament résumé.
