COLLEGE BASKETBALL: JAN 21 Louisville at SMUMike RutherfordSat, January 31, 2026 at 1:45 AM UTC·7 min readLouisville Cardinals (14-6, 4-4) vs. SMU Mustangs (15-5, 4-3)
Game Time: 2 p.m.
Location: KFC Yum Center: Louisville, Ky.
Television: ESPN
Announcers: Kevin Brown (play-by-play) and Debbie Antonelli (analysis)
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFavorite: Louisville by 8.5
Series: Louisville leads, 9-2
Last Meeting: Louisville won 98-73 on Jan. 21, 2025 in Dallas
Series History:
Projected Starting Lineups:
Louisville
G Mikel Brown Jr. (6-5, 190, Fr.)
G Isaac McKneely (6-4, 195, Sr.)
G Ryan Conwell (6-4, 215, Sr.)
F J’Vonne Hadley (6-7, 210, Sr.)
C Sananda Fru (6-11, 245, Jr.)
SMU
G Boopie Miller (6-0, 175, Sr.)
G B.J. Edwards (6-3, 200, Sr.)
G Jaron Pierre Jr. (6-5, 210, Sr.)
F Corey Washington (6-6, 190, Sr.)
C Samet Yigitoglu (7-2, 270, So.)
Injury Reports:
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Statistics:
SMU’s Season to Date:
Relevant Videos:
About SMU:
Just as has been the case on the gridiron, the SMU men’s basketball team has had little trouble adjusting to life in its new ACC home. The Mustangs won 24 games overall last season and 14 against ACC opponents on their way to being one of the first teams left out of the 2025 NCAA Tournament field.
They seem to have taken a step forward in their second year under the direction of head coach Andy Enfield (by way of Florida Gulf Coast and USC), and head into Saturday’s game at Louisville safely in the field of most NCAA Tournament bracket projections. The Mustangs are 15-5 overall and 4-3 in ACC play, with their losses coming to Duke, Clemson and Virginia, all by respectable margins.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAs was the case a year ago, the strength of SMU’s team is its electric offense, specifically in the backcourt. The Mustangs lead the ACC in scoring (87.3 ppg), assists (17.8 apg), and also rank in the top three in fastbreak points(12.9, 2nd ACC, 83rd NCAA), field-goal percentage (49.4%, 3rd ACC, 26th NCAA) and free-throw percentage(76.9%, 3rd ACC, 32nd NCAA).
Leading the way for Enfield’s team for a second straight year is senior guard Boopie Miller (19.4 ppg/6.7 apg). Miller was All-ACC Third Team last season after averaging 13.2 points (26th ACC), 5.5 assists (4th ACC, 33rd NCAA), 2.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals (9th ACC) with a 2.50 assist-to-turnover ratio (2nd ACC, 41st NCAA).
Standing just 6’0 tall, Miller is a dynamo with the ball in his hands. He’s a threat to score from anywhere on the floor and is also one of the best distributors in the ACC. He ranks in the ACC’s top 20 in steals per game (1.8) but is prone to getting caught gambling (see Chucky’s performance against him last season). Miller is a capable but outside shooter (37.4 percent), but the strength of his game is getting downhill and either scoring inside the arc or getting to the free-throw line, where he shoots nearly 90 percent.
Miller needed some backcourt help last season, so after the year was over, Enfield went out and got Jacksonville State transfer Jaron Pierre, one of the most coveted guard in the portal. Pierre was the nation’s fourth-leading scorer a year ago and has had zero trouble adjusting to the ACC level. He heads into the weekend coming off a 28-point performance against Florida State and ranked 8th in the league in scoring at 17.5 ppg.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPierre is the perfect combo guard to play alongside Miller. He’s a good three-point shooter (35.7 percent), but his real strength is using his athleticism to whip his man off the dribble and finish strong at the rim. Pierre hasn’t been asked to be the playmaker for others that he was at JSU, but he’s a capable enough passer to be respected. He’s also a terrific rebounder for his size. Like Miller, he’s a much better offensive player than defensive. He can (and I assume will) be attacked when Louisville has the ball.
Senior guard B.J. Edwards (14.2 ppg/5.2 apg) is playing easily the best basketball of his college career in his third and final season in Dallas. A career “just ok” outside shooter, Edwards has hit 9-of-16 three-point attempts over SMU’s last five games. While his offensive numbers are all up, the strength of his game has always been his defense. A front-runner for ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Edwards currently leads the league in steals at 2.6 per game.
Samet Yigitoglu, a 7’2 center from Turkey, has upped his production significantly in his sophomore season. He’s nearly averaging a double-double at 10.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, and is an effective rim protector averaging 1.6 blocks per game. Yigitoglu isn’t overly skilled or mobile, but … he’s 7’2, 270 and skilled enough to make the requisite plays around the rim on both ends of the floor.
While SMU shoots the ball well from three (36.6 percent), they’re very selective with their outside shooting. Where they really thrive is scoring in transition and attacking the basket in the halfcourt. Louisville has really struggled to defend without fouling this season, and if that trend continues on Saturday, they’re going to have a hard time holding the Mustangs to a respectable point total.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTo sum up, SMU is an extremely talented offensive team with extremely talented guards that has struggled to defend against quality opponents this season, especially on the perimeter. One thing I really want to see Louisville do is not let any success on offense lead to them easing up on defense. This is 100 percent a team that will take full advantage if the Cardinals go into one of their extended shooting slumps.
Notable:
—Louisville has won 32 straight games when playing as an AP-ranked team against a non-AP-ranked team at the KFC Yum Center.
—SMU has lost 14 of its last 15 games against AP ranked opponents.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement—Louisville is 4-0 all-time in home games against SMU.
—Both Pat Kelsey and Andy Enfield recorded their 100th wins this season. Kelsey hit the mark in Louisville’s 77-62 win over Boston College on Jan. 10. Enfield achieved the feat after beating Florida State last Saturday the 24th.
—Louisville is 0-9 under head coach Pat Kelsey when trailing by 5 points or more at halftime.
—SMU has scored at least 100 points nine times under Head Coach Andy Enfield, including four this season (plus 96 2x, 97 2x, a 98 and a 99). The five 100-point games in 2024-25 were the most since the 1992-93 season (6 times).
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement—Louisville has hit the 100-point mark five times in a season for the first time since 1976-77. The record for most 100+ point games in a season at U of L is six.
—SMU has won each of its last six games when playing with a rest advantage. The Mustangs haven’t played since last Saturday while Louisville played Monday night at Duke.
—Louisville has lost four of its last five day games at KFC Yum Center following a road loss.
—SMU is 2-3 in true road games so far this season, including a 1-2 mark in ACC play.
—Louisville is 41-0 under head coach Pat Kelsey when leading with five minutes to play. The Cardinals are also 0-13 under Kelsey when trailing with five minutes to play.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement—Louisville is 14-0 over the past 11 seasons when limiting opponents to no more than one three-point field goal.
—Louisville is 121-0 all-time when scoring 100 or more points in non-overtime games.
—Louisville has won 167 consecutive games when holding an opponent under 50 points.
Ken Pomeroy Prediction: Louisville 86, SMU 79
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