Jaron Pierre Jr.'s electrifying second-half surge and a balanced offensive attack propelled SMU to a significant ACC victory over Notre Dame.
DALLAS - SMU men’s basketball continues to build momentum in ACC play, and Tuesday night’s win over Notre Dame felt like another step forward.
Behind a dominant stretch from Jaron Pierre Jr., the Mustangs pulled away in the second half and secured an 89-81 victory inside Moody Coliseum.
Pierre delivered one of his most complete performances of the season, finishing with 22 points and igniting the game’s defining run. Midway through the second half, he scored 13 points during a 19-6 burst that flipped a tight contest into a comfortable SMU lead.
The sequence was punctuated by a windmill dunk that brought the crowd to its feet and pushed the Mustangs ahead 69-56 with just over eight minutes remaining.
Boopie Miller was equally important, adding 20 points and setting the tone early.
SMU jumped out to a 21-11 lead in the opening minutes before Notre Dame settled in and tied the game late in the first half. Miller closed the period by scoring the final six points, sending SMU into halftime with a 43-37 advantage.
The Mustangs were efficient throughout the night, shooting 52.5 percent from the field and knocking down 19 3-pointers.
Pierre, Miller, and Corey Washington, who finished with 14 points, combined for 10 makes from beyond the arc. Samet Yigitoglu chipped in a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, giving SMU balance on both ends of the floor.
Notre Dame made a late push, trimming the deficit to 83-77 in the final minutes, but Pierre answered with a driving layup and B.J. Edwards calmly sank two free throws to close the door. Jalen Haralson led the Irish with 23 points, while Cole Certa and Braeden Shrewsberry added 16 apiece.
Now 17-7 overall and 6-5 in the ACC, SMU heads into a challenging stretch with growing confidence. With road trips and ranked opponents looming, performances like this one show the Mustangs are finding their stride at the right time.