Against an AP top-25 team at home, SMU had a prime opportunity to earn the statement win lacking from its résumé. While the Mustangs are off to a strong start in 2024-25, they’ve lost all of their marquee matchups — and most of them by large margins.

Chucky Hepburn was the straw that stirred the drink for Louisville, finishing with a 13-point and 16-assist double-double. The assist mark broke the single-game UofL record, which was previously 15 by Francisco Garcia on Jan. 3, 2004 vs. Murray State.

Reyne Smith scored 30 points while matching his career high with a school-record 10 3-pointers and No. 25 Louisville won its first game as a ranked team in four years, beating Atlantic Coast Conference newcomer SMU 98-73.

Louisville’s 19 made three-point field goals are tied for the second most in program history and is the new record in road game, breaking the previous road record of 16 in a 114-82 win against Western Kentucky on December 22, 2010.

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.