Jermaine O’Neal Jr. scores 16 as SMU shoots 56% and crushes Boston College 94-70 in ACC play.
DALLAS - SMU didn’t just beat Boston College on Saturday; it made a point. The Mustangs caught fire late in the first half and never cooled off, rolling to a 94-70 ACC win behind a balanced offensive attack and suffocating efficiency.
With the victory, SMU improved to 19-8 overall and 8-6 in conference play, strengthening its postseason résumé in the process.
Jermaine O’Neal Jr. set the tone early, finishing with 16 points in a performance that felt steady and surgical.
Samet Yigitoglu and BJ Edwards chipped in 15 apiece, while Jaden Toombs and Jaron Pierre Jr. added 13 each to keep the pressure constant.
Pierre Jr. delivered the dagger before halftime. After trailing by multiple possessions, SMU ripped off an 11-0 run to close the first half, capped by a deep buzzer-beating three from Pierre that sent Moody Coliseum into a frenzy and gave the Mustangs a 40-36 edge at the break.
That momentum carried straight into the second half. SMU opened the final 20 minutes with a 14-0 surge that broke the game open.
The Mustangs outscored Boston College by 20 after halftime, shooting a blistering 56 percent from the floor compared to the Eagles’ 33 percent.
Boopie Miller added 11 points and dished out seven assists, orchestrating an offense that looked crisp, confident and unselfish.
Boston College, now 9-18 and mired in an eight-game skid, was paced by Fred Payne’s 20 points, with Jason Asemota and Boden Kapke adding 10 each. It wasn’t enough.
When SMU shares the ball and shoots like this, it’s dangerous.
Next up, the Mustangs head west to face California on Wednesday — and if Saturday was any indication, this team is peaking at the right time.