Conwell scores 16, hits 2 key shots late to rally No. 24 Louisville past SMU 62-58 in ACC tourney

STEVE REED Wed, March 11, 2026 at 9:17 PM UTC

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1 / 0ACC Louisville SMU BasketballLouisville guard J'vonne Hadley, right, drives into SMU forward Jermaine O'Neal Jr. during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond) ()

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Ryan Conwell hit two key shots in the final 1:17 and finished with 16 points as No. 24 Louisville battled back to beat SMU 62-58 on Wednesday and advanced to the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament quarterfinals.

Adrian Wooley added 14 points and Isaac McKneely had 10 for the Cardinals (23-9), who’ll face Miami on Thursday.

Jarron Pierre Jr. had 17 points and Jaden Toombs added 13 points and nine rebounds for SMU (20-13), which led by six in the second half before Louisville stormed back behind three inside baskets from Vangelis Zougris.

After a defensive struggle in the first half ended in a 26-all tie, SMU built its biggest lead at 41-35 on back-to-back 3s by Sam Walters and Pierre from the same spot in right corner.

The Mustangs, playing their second game in two days, appeared content to patiently work time off the shot clock, extending every possession and shortening the game.

But Louisville worked its way back after SMU's 7-foot-1 rim protector Samet Yigitoglu picked up his fourth foul with 7:51 left and was forced to the bench. That freed up Zougris to work in the middle, where he scored three key baskets in a two-minute stretch.

Yigitoglu returned with the game tied at 56 and three minutes left and Pierre briefly put the Mustangs ahead with a driving layup.

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But after SMU's Corey Washington went down with a shoulder injury, Conwell took over.

He hit a 3 to give the Cardinals the lead for good at 60-58 with 1:17 left. SMU's Boopie Miller missed a 3 at the other end and Conwell drove the left side of lane and scored on a left-handed layup with 29.4 seconds left to make it a two-possession game.

Louisville played without star freshman Mikel Brown Jr., who is out for the tournament with a back injury.

Up next

SMU: Awaits to see if it will make the NCAA Tournament. The Mustangs are considered a bubble team.

Louisville: Will face Miami on Thursday in the quarterfinals.

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Source: “AOL Sports”