Miami vs. Tennessee: RedHawks, Volunteers to clash in 1st round of NCAA Tournament The Miami RedHawks advanced to the first round of the NCAA Tournament after a dominant performance in the First Four, defeating the SMU Mustangs 89-79. The victory propelled Miami to a 32-1 record on the season and set the stage for their next challenge against the sixth-seeded Tennessee Volunteers in Philadelphia. The matchup is scheduled for Friday, with a potential early start time due to the game being the second contest in the session. The first game of the day, Wright State vs. Virginia, will tip off at 1:50 p.m. Fans unable to travel to Philadelphia can watch the RedHawks vs. Volunteers game on TBS. Tickets for Friday’s session are still available, with prices starting around $70. A single ticket grants access to both games held at Dayton’s UD Arena. Miami’s historic First Four performance included a school-record 16 three-pointers, led by Eian Elmer, who shot 6-of-9 from beyond the arc. The RedHawks’ offensive firepower helped secure their place in the tournament. Tennessee, finishing fourth in the SEC—the most represented conference in the tournament—brings a top-heavy scoring attack to the matchup. Three players average double-digit points, with two of them ranking among the top 10 in the SEC in scoring. Ja’Kobi Gillespie leads the Volunteers, averaging 18.0 points per game and shooting 33.2% from three-point range. His 8.0 three-point attempts per game rank second in the league. Despite their strong regular-season finish, Tennessee’s underlying statistics are less impressive, and the team ended the season on an uneven note. The Volunteers will face the winner of the session’s first game—No. 3 Virginia vs. No. 14 Wright State—in the second round on Sunday.#virginia #smu_mustangs #tennessee_volunteers #wright_state #miami_redhawks
Louisville basketball advances to ACC Tournament quarterfinals after defeating SMU Louisville Cardinals basketball secured a hard-fought 62-58 victory over 11th-seeded Southern Methodist University (SMU) in the ACC Tournament Round of 16 on Wednesday, advancing to the quarterfinals. The sixth-seeded Cardinals, led by head coach Pat Kelsey, overcame a deficit to claim their first win in 17 attempts when trailing by five minutes in the second half under Kelsey’s tenure. The game, played at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, sets up a rematch against third-seeded Miami in the semifinals, with the matchup scheduled for approximately 2:30 p.m. on Thursday. The win marks a pivotal moment for Louisville, which had struggled to close out games in recent seasons. The Cardinals’ ability to rally in the final minutes was highlighted by a standout performance from forward Vangelis Zougris, who provided a crucial spark in the second half. Zougris, making only his third start of the season, scored six consecutive points to give Louisville a 52-50 lead with 5:38 remaining. The Greek forward’s efforts set the stage for a dramatic finish, as Louisville’s resilience led to a decisive 3-pointer and layup from Ryan Conwell in the final minute, sealing the victory. Conwell finished with a team-high 16 points, though Zougris’ impact was undeniable, as his performance helped position Louisville for a deep run in the tournament. Louisville’s defensive strategy was equally critical in securing the win. The Cardinals held SMU to just 26 points in the first half, a season-low, despite the Mustangs’ strong shooting percentage of 29.6% (8-for-27) and 14.3% (2-for-14) from beyond the arc.#louisville_cardinals #smu_mustangs #pat_kelsey #vangelis_zougris #ryan_conwell
Louisville Cardinals vs SMU Mustangs: ACC Tournament Game Recap The Louisville Cardinals faced the SMU Mustangs in the second round of the T. Rowe Price ACC Tournament on March 11, 2026. The game featured standout performances from both teams, with Louisville’s Corey Washington scoring 10 points and Jermaine Toombs contributing 11 points, while SMU’s A. Wooley and R. Conwell each added nine points. Louisville’s defensive efforts were highlighted by Isaac McKneely’s defensive rebound and multiple missed three-point attempts from SMU’s Boopie Miller. Key moments in the game included substitutions, such as Corey Washington subbing in for SMU and Jermaine O’Neal Jr. exiting the game. The game’s flow was marked by missed three-pointers, with Louisville’s Ryan Conwell and SMU’s Boopie Miller both failing to connect from beyond the arc. Louisville’s dominance in rebounding was evident, as they secured 14 total rebounds, with Washington and Toombs leading the charge. The standings for the 2025-26 Atlantic Coast Conference showed Louisville at 11-7, tied with North Carolina and Clemson for fourth place in the conference. Virginia led the standings with a 15-3 record, followed by North Carolina and Clemson. The game’s outcome reflected the competitive nature of the conference, with Louisville’s performance aligning with their overall season trajectory. Other notable developments in men’s college basketball included Kentucky’s Mark Pope and Brandon Garrison expressing confidence in their team’s postseason potential after a tournament win, while St. Bonaventure’s Darryl Simmons II led his team to a 99-80 victory over La Salle in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament.#louisville_cardinals #smu_mustangs #t_rowe_price_acc_tournament #corey_washington #jermaine_toombs
