Boopie Miller ignites SMU's offense as the Mustangs aim to prove their ACC mettle and earn crucial respect on the road at Wake Forest.
SMU’s ACC passport gets another stamp this week, and it’s a new one as the Mustangs are headed to Wake Forest for their first trip to Winston-Salem as conference mates.
If you like storylines, this one has plenty ... road test, revenge angle, and a team that’s playing good enough to get noticed, but not quite good enough to get invited to the Top 25 dinner party.
SMU comes in 13-5 overall and is still trying to find its footing in league play after a split week. The Mustangs survived Virginia Tech on a half-court buzzer-beater, then fell just short against a ranked Virginia team in a game that felt like it was decided by two or three possessions and one or two questionable moments.
Here’s the encouraging part ... SMU isn’t a one-man show.
Yes, Boopie Miller is the headliner - 20-plus a night, elite distribution, and the kind of pace that makes defenses look like they’re running in wet concrete.
But the real advantage for Andy Enfield’s group is balance. When you can roll out four or five guys who can get you 10 to 20 points, scouting becomes less about stopping a singular star and more about who to focus on more.
And the numbers are loud. SMU scores fast, scores often, and scores efficiently.
They’re among the ACC’s best in shooting percentage, free throws, and assists, and they’re a nightmare in transition. When your offense consistently produces good shots and you can cash free throws late, you give yourself a chance in every road game, even the ugly ones.
Wake Forest, though, is exactly the kind of opponent that tests whether your strengths travel.
Last season’s meeting in Dallas didn’t go SMU’s way, and road environments in the ACC don’t hand out participation trophies. If SMU wants to turn receiving votes into a number next to their name, these are the games that do it.
Three keys if you’re watching like a coach (or yelling like one) would be value possessions - Wake Forest games can swing on turnovers and loose rebounds, win the free throw battle - SMU’s consistency at the line is a weapon, and keeping the pace honest. Run when it’s there, but don’t confuse speed with rushing.
SMU’s body of work already has quality ingredients. Now it needs a signature road meal.