LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Interstat) — In a pivotal Atlantic Coast Conference clash between teams jockeying for postseason position, the Louisville Cardinals used a dominant second-half surge to pull away from the SMU Mustangs for an 88-74 victory on Saturday afternoon at the KFC Yum! Center.

The game, which featured two teams entering with identical 14-6 records, lived up to its billing as a tightly contested affair for the first 25 minutes before Louisville’s depth and defensive pressure created decisive separation.

SMU, the visiting team, opened the game with sharp offensive execution, building an early lead behind the backcourt duo of Boopie Miller and Corey Washington. The Mustangs connected on four of their first five 3-point attempts, with Miller assisting on two and Washington hitting two himself, to establish a 15-7 advantage and force an early Louisville timeout.

The Cardinals, however, weathered the initial storm by turning to their interior game. Freshman forward Khani Rooths, a 6-foot-10 standout from Washington, D.C., provided a critical spark off the bench. His activity on the offensive glass and finishing around the rim helped Louisville chip away at the deficit. A driving layup by Ryan Conwell with 4:30 remaining in the first half gave Louisville its first lead at 31-29, part of a 14-2 run that shifted momentum. The Cardinals took a 44-42 lead into halftime, overcoming SMU’s early shooting barrage by scoring 26 points in the paint before the break.

The most important stretch of the game began midway through the second half. With Louisville holding a slim 58-53 lead, the Cardinals unleashed a game-defining 13-2 run over a three-minute span. The burst was fueled by stifling defense that forced four SMU turnovers, converting them into easy transition opportunities. Isaac McKneely capped the run with a 3-pointer off an assist from Kobe Rodgers, pushing the Louisville lead to 71-55 with 11:42 to play. SMU never recovered, unable to cut the deficit below double digits for the remainder of the contest.

Louisville’s victory was a product of balanced scoring and superior efficiency in key areas. Mikel Brown led all scorers with 20 points, while McKneely added 14 and Conwell finished with 12. The top star for Louisville was Khani Rooths, who recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in just 20 minutes of action, anchoring the paint on both ends.

SMU was led by Miller’s 20 points and four assists. The Mustangs’ 7-foot-2 center Samet Yigitoglu from Istanbul, Turkey, was a force inside with 14 points and eight rebounds, but his efforts were offset by seven team turnovers. BJ Edwards added 13 points and eight rebounds for SMU.

The Cardinals excelled in the categories that often decide conference games. They outscored SMU 42-32 in the paint, 18-13 off turnovers, and 7-2 on fast breaks. Louisville’s bench, led by Rooths and Rodgers, who contributed seven points and four assists, outscored SMU’s reserves.

With the win, Louisville improves to 15-6 overall. The Cardinals, who were installed as an 8-point pregame favorite, will host Notre Dame on Wednesday. SMU, which also falls to 15-6, saw a two-game winning streak snapped. The Mustangs return home to host North Carolina State on Tuesday. The teams are scheduled for a rematch in Dallas on Feb. 17.

The total score of 162 surpassed the over/under line of 162.5. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Louisville entered the game with a 71.8% probability to win.