Hancock's career-high 23 points lead No. 12 Louisville past SMU, 71-63

SMU's Sterling Brown, left, attempts to steal the ball away from Louisville's Chris Jones during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley) (The Associated Press)

Louisville's Luke Hancock, left, and Stephan Van Treese, right, battle SMU's Ben Moore for a loose ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday Jan. 12, 2014, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley) (The Associated Press)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Luke Hancock's career-high 23 points, including two free throws with 46 seconds remaining, helped No. 12 Louisville hold off SMU for a 71-63 victory Sunday in a meeting of Hall of Fame coaches.

Hancock's second straight 20-point game helped Rick Pitino's Cardinals (14-3, 3-1 American Athletic Conference) get the final word in his first collegiate matchup against Larry Brown and his Mustangs (11-4, 1-2).

Making his first start despite dealing with a left Achilles issue, the senior guard made 8 of 15 from the field — 4 of 9 from 3-point range — to help keep Louisville ahead in a tense game that Montrezl Harrell finally settled with a dunk and a block after Hancock's free throws.

Russ Smith scored 23 points and Harrell added 12 points and 13 rebounds as Louisville bounced back from Thursday's loss to No. 24 Memphis with 47 percent shooting, despite being outrebounded 48-35.