Reyne Smith

Reyne Smith follows through on a shot during the Louisville men’s basketball team’s NCAA Tournament shootaround in Rupp Arena on March 19, 2025.

 ERIC CRAWFORD

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WDRB) — ESPN missed the story during the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game last Saturday because of its slobbering love affair with Duke and Cooper Flagg.

Was it a big deal that Flagg, the likely national player of the year, missed Duke’s 73-62 victory over Louisville because of an ankle injury.

Yes, it was. ESPN’s producers made certain you understood that it was big deal because they turned their cameras to Flagg on every other possession.

But ESPN missed the rest of the story because U of L was without Reyne Smith, Louisville's most prolific three-point shooter as well as a guy whose offense is as essential to the Cards’ success as Flagg is to Duke.

The man averaged 3.53 made three-point shots per game, third best in America. That translates to roughly 11.5 points. Those are points that coach Pat Kelsey’s team relied on this season.

Now, after nearly five full games on the sidelines with a sprained right ankle, Smith said Wednesday that he probably could have played last weekend, but he’s healthier now and expects to do Reyne Smith things when the Cardinals open the NCAA men’s basketball tournament Thursday at 12:15 p.m. against Creighton at Rupp Arena.

“I probably would have made more of an effort to get out there and really push it (if last week had been the NCAA Tournament),” Smith said. “But really the main focus has been to get ready for this tournament.”

Smith confirmed his readiness to himself, his teammates and coaches this week with complete participation in workouts. Hundreds of shots.

Smith said that he does not chart the volume of shots that he takes or the percentage that he makes. His concentration begins with feel — how the ball leaves his hands; the smoothness of his mechanics; the quickness of his poised left-handed release.

Reyne Smith

Louisville’s Reyne Smith during the Louisville men’s basketball team’s NCAA Tournament shootaround in Rupp Arena on March 19, 2025.

“The feeling,” Smith said. “That’s kind of what I judge. Because sometimes my shot doesn’t feel good and it goes in. So I kind of don’t really get caught up in makes or misses.

“It’s just kind of the process of it all. And that’s kind of my same approach in the game. I don’t really care about making or missing. In the end, obviously, I want to make every single shot but getting caught up mentally in that kind of battle.

“So it’s just all the feeling and just making sure I’m feeling in a good spot.”

After a torrid mid-season five-game stretch where Smith half of his 56 three-point attempts, including seven makes against Pitt and 10 against SMU, Smith regressed in the last five games he played, making 10 of 37 (27%).

What Louisville will need against Creighton and any other game the Cards play in the NCAA Tournament will be for Smith to be the player he has been all season.

He’s made better than 38% (106 of 277) of his attempts but his larger value is to force the opposing team to keep a defensive presence on the perimeter at all times. That creates driving lanes for the other U of L players. A defender cannot leave Reyne Smith to help on a double team.

“Having Reyne back spaces the floor,” said U of L forward Terrence Edwards Jr. “It spaces the floor. It makes our job a little bit easier.

“He knows everything that’s going on. He knows his job. He just makes my job and Chucky (Hepburn’s) job easier because it’s easier to find him. He’s always in the right spot.

“It lengthens our rotation, too. Me and Chucky can get breaks now where we’ll be able to come out of the game for a couple of minutes because Reyne is in there, just getting hot, making three or four threes.

“It’s just great. I just love to see him play good because he’s such a humble guy and great teammate.”

Smith does not disagree. He said he was not certain if he will return to the starting lineup or contribute off the bench. He has not invested a second in worrying about that. Just winning another game.

"I'm sure guys get a little different looks, and maybe a little more focus goes onto some of the guys,” Smith said “That's kind of how it is, especially with my shooting ability, getting that gravity onto me and freeing up some lanes that might have been lost over the (ACC) tournament.

“But the team did a great job of trying to be a mature team and not dwelling on anything. Obviously wins over Stanford and Clemson were great, and being able to compete against Duke in the championship.

"I'm just going to let the game come to me. I'm not going to force anything. I don't have anything to prove to myself. I'm just going to go out there and have fun. I've missed the last five games and have just missed that joy of being on the court.”

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