SMU's poised Mustangs dominate close ACC battles, proving their mettle against top competition. Can they sustain this clutch performance on the road?
After a forgettable season a year ago, the ACC has reasserted itself as one of college basketball’s premier leagues. And right in the thick of that resurgence sits the SMU Mustangs, a battle-tested group that has embraced close games, hostile arenas, and high-level competition.
SMU entered the weekend receiving national poll votes and fresh off an 83-80 win over Florida State Seminoles, another example of how comfortable this team has become living on the edge.
The Mustangs have already faced four ACC teams currently ranked in the Top 25, but fell 88-74 to the Louisville Cardinals at the KFC Yum! Center on Saturday.
Head coach Andy Enfield believes the league-wide improvement has sharpened his team. SMU boosted its resume early by winning major non-conference games, including an overtime victory against Texas A&M Aggies, a result that continues to carry weight as metrics tighten across the country.
Those early tests have paid off late in games. SMU has played five contests decided by four points or fewer, four of them in conference play, and has gone to overtime twice. The common theme is poise.
Veteran guards Boopie Miller, Jaron Pierre Jr., and B.J. Edwards have been the stabilizing force. Against Florida State, Pierre and Edwards combined for the Mustangs’ final 23 points, answering every surge and delivering stops when the game hung in the balance.
Miller’s flair for the dramatic has become routine, with buzzer-beaters against Virginia Tech this season and Virginia a year ago adding to his reputation.
The Florida State win was a perfect snapshot of SMU’s maturity. After building a double-digit halftime lead and then falling behind early in the second half, the Mustangs never panicked. They regrouped, executed late, and closed the door with smart possessions and timely shot-making.
Louisville boasts depth, size, and an explosive backcourt, led by freshman Mikel Brown Jr. For SMU, this season is a chance to prove that its success isn’t situational ... it’s sustainable.
In a stronger ACC where nearly every night feels like March, SMU has shown it belongs.
And if the Mustangs keep winning the tight ones, their national profile will only continue to rise.