CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Ryan Conwell hit two key shots in the final 1:17 and finished with 16 points as No. 6-seed Louisville battled back to beat No. 11-seed SMU 62-58 on Wednesday and advanced to the 2026 T. Rowe Price ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament quarterfinals. 

Adrian Wooley added 14 points and Isaac McKneely had 10 for the 24th-ranked Cardinals (23-9), who’ll face Miami on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. ET. 

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 the 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. 

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

He hit a 3-pointer 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 the 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. SMU was without starting guard B.J. Edwards, who was out with an ankle injury.

Of Note 

• The Cardinals improved to 4-2 in ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament games played in Charlotte and 6-9 in all ACC Tournament games.  

• SMU moves to 2-2 all-time in ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament games with an identical record in tournament affairs in Charlotte. 

• Wednesday was the first-ever ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament meeting between the Cardinals and Mustangs.  

• The second-round contest featured 16 lead changes and nine ties. 

• Neither team led by more than six points throughout the 40-minute contest. 

• SMU made just one free throw in the game, matching the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament record for the fewest free throws made. Teams have made just one free throw three times before, most recently in the 2011 quarterfinals.   

• Louisville’s Vangelis Zougris made his second career start on Wednesday afternoon, finishing with seven points and four rebounds.