Louisville SMU Basketball - AP - 1.21.25

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB)- - It was the kind of game you could start writing about after the first four possessions and then simply wait for the final score.

And that score was remarkably one-sided: Louisville 98, SMU 73 at a subdued Moody Coliseum in Dallas, Texas.

Alert Las Vegas. The wise guys made the coach Pat Kelsey's team a two-point underdog against the Mustangs. Alert Joe Lunardi. The ESPN bracketologist said SMU was only two spots below the cut-line to make the NCAA Tournament.

The Cards covered the spread in the first 41 seconds and blew the Mustangs into the discussion for the NIT. The Cards played like a one-seed for the NCAA Tournament while winning for the ninth straight game to improve to 15-5 overall and 8-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

It was the kind of that game that confirmed Louisville guard Chucky Hepburn deserves a long and serious look as a first-team all-ACC player.

Hepburn has been excellent from day one, but his first half against the Mustangs was the best 20 minutes he has played this season.

He made three shots from distance in the first seven minutes. Of Louisville's 50 first-half points, Hepburn was involved in 37 of them. He scored 13 points and his nine assists led to 24 more points.

Hepburn was not done. He finished with 13 points, 16 assists and five rebounds. Make a notation In the record book. The 16 assists were one more than the school record that Francisco Garcia set against Murray State on Jan. 3, 2004.

"I had no idea," Hepburn said.

Hepburn's mom, Meliza, got to Dallas from Omaha, Nebraska to watch the performance with several of Hepburn's cousins. Kelsey let Mrs.Hepburn join the post-game celebration.

"Chucky had a magical game, as did Reyne," Kelsey said. "In that environment to have 16 assists and two turnovers is ridiculous. I wouldn't trade him for anybody. He's special."

He's right. Better not forget Reyne Smith. SMU did on too many possessions. And when you forget to find Smith, he buries three-point shots.

He took 17. He made 10 for 30 points. That gives him 78 threes this season, making Smith the national leader in three-pointers made. The 10 three-pointers tied his career high and broke Taquan Dean's school record of nine, which he set 23 years ago.

He got the record with one minute and 22 seconds to play. Word got to Kelsey that Smith was one three from setting the record so he drew a play to get him the shot from the left corner. Smith made it, shooting the ball over a defender nearly a foot taller.

"It's been a lot of fun," Smith said on the ACC Network after the game. "We dealt with adversity in the beginning of the year with a lot of injuries ... I love this team. I love this group."

It was the kind of game that left zero doubt that Kelsey's team belongs in the Associated Press Top 25, several spots higher than the No. 25 spot they earned on Monday. They jumped from No. 29 to 23 in Ken Pomeroy's computer formula. His numbers project Louisville to be favored in every remaining game while finishing with an overall record of 24-7 and 17-3 in the ACC.

SMU led the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring at 85 points a game. SMU has scored 100 or more in five games this season, including hanging on 117 on Miami last Saturday.

The Mustangs had 10 points after 13 minutes. SMU coach Andy Enfield called two timeouts in the first 16 minutes. Didn't matter.

Louisville made seven three-point field goals before SMU made any. The Cards had 17 assists on their first 17 field goals. As usual, the ball sharing led to five players in double figures. Louisville made 19 of 42 three-pointers.

It was the kind of game that made you wonder what would happen if the Cards got another shot at No. 2 Duke, the only team to beat Louisville in its first nine ACC games.

The Cards have a week off before they return to the KFC Yum! Center to play Wake Forest at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Louisville will pursue its 10th straight victory. UofL has not won 10 straight since Feb. 8, 2020.

Louisville Basketball Coverage:

Copyright 2024 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.