Louisville’s Reyne Smith Out for ACC Semifinals Against Clemson

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Reyne Smith will miss his third consecutive game for the Louisville men’s basketball team when they face Clemson in the ACC Tournament semifinals tonight.

The program confirmed the absence of the sharpshooting guard prior to tip-off. Smith, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound junior, sustained a right ankle injury during a game against California on March 5, which has sidelined him since.

Smith was injured while playing in Louisville’s penultimate game of the regular season. He exited the matchup against the Golden Bears at the 12:36 mark of the first half, later attempting to recuperate in the KFC Yum! Center tunnels. Although initially considered “questionable” to return at halftime, he ultimately did not rejoin his teammates on the court.

Head coach Kenny Kelsey revealed that athletic trainer Katie Creznic informed him that Smith “couldn’t come back in the game.” The guard finished that game without scoring, shooting 0-for-2, and has been listed as “day-to-day” since.

Despite his absence, Louisville has secured victories against Stanford in the last two games. Smith is crucial to the Cardinals, averaging 13.4 points per game and ranking among the top three-point shooters in NCAA Division I basketball. He leads the team with 106 three-pointers made, placing him 10th nationally, and his 3.53 made threes per game ranks third in the country. He also set the school record for three-point attempts in a single season with 277, boasting a shooting percentage of 38.3, which is second in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Ulverstone, Australia native transferred to Louisville after three seasons at Charleston, where he played under Kelsey. In his 102 games with the Cougars, he scored 1,212 points and made 294 three-pointers, earning an All-CAA Second Team accolade in the previous season.

The Cardinals will tip off against Clemson at 10:01 p.m. EST today. Louisville is hoping to rally without their star shooter as they aim for a strong postseason run.