SMU basketball crushed Syracuse 86-69 in the ACC Tournament as Boopie Miller scored 25 and Jaron Pierre Jr. caught fire to send the Mustangs to face Louisville.
The SMU Mustangs opened the ACC Tournament with authority, rolling past Syracuse 86-69 behind a balanced offensive attack and a dominant performance from star guard Boopie Miller.
The win pushes SMU basketball to 20 victories on the season and keeps the Mustangs firmly in the national postseason conversation.
Miller once again set the tone. The senior guard poured in 25 points, extending his remarkable streak to 39 consecutive games scoring in double figures, the longest run by an SMU player since 2000.
Entering the tournament averaging 19.4 points per game, Miller continues to cement himself as one of the most consistent scorers in college basketball.
But the Mustangs didn’t rely on one player to get the job done. Five SMU starters reached double figures as Andy Enfield’s squad showcased the balanced offense that has defined the team all season.
Jaron Pierre Jr. added 21 points, and his second-half shooting burst broke the game wide open. During a decisive stretch midway through the second half, Pierre drilled three consecutive 3-pointers as part of a devastating 13-0 SMU run that pushed the Mustangs’ lead to 69-48.
Pierre now sits among the top active scorers in NCAA Division I, surpassing 2,153 career points, while Miller is closing in on another milestone with 1,988 career points.
Inside, the Mustangs dominated the glass. Freshman center Jaden Toombs delivered one of the best performances of his young career, finishing with 16 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high six assists.
Toombs was unstoppable early, recording 14 points and 10 rebounds before halftime, marking the first SMU player to post a halftime double-double since Marcus Weathers in 2022.
Sophomore big man Samet Yigitoglu also controlled the paint, finishing with 12 points and 11 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season.
The Mustangs outrebounded Syracuse 44-31 and turned 19 offensive rebounds into 26 second-chance points, completely overwhelming the Orange physically.
Veteran forward Corey Washington chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds, helping SMU score 38 points in the paint while shooting 46.6 percent from the field.
Even more impressive? The Mustangs accomplished the win without starting guard B.J. Edwards, who missed his fourth straight game due to injury.
Edwards had started the first 28 games of the season and ranks among the ACC’s leaders in steals and assists.
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Instead, SMU leaned into its identity ... depth, ball movement and rebounding dominance. The Mustangs recorded 20 assists on 34 made baskets, continuing a trend that has made them one of the top offensive teams in the ACC.
Next up, SMU faces No. 24 Louisville in the ACC Tournament second round.
If the Mustangs play with this kind of offensive firepower again, they may not be done in Charlotte just yet.