The SMU Mustangs stormed into the ACC Tournament with a statement victory, dispatching the Syracuse Orange 86-69 on March 10, 2026, in Charlotte, North Carolina. This opening-round win at the Spectrum Center not only snapped SMU’s four-game conference skid but also propelled them into a highly anticipated second-round matchup against the 24th-ranked and sixth-seeded Louisville Cardinals.
From the opening tip, both teams traded blows in a tightly contested first half. SMU’s freshman center, Jaden Toombs, set the tone early, racking up 14 points and 10 rebounds before the break—already securing a double-double. Senior guard Boopie Miller, a mainstay of consistency for the Mustangs, chipped in 11 first-half points, helping SMU edge ahead 39-38 at halftime. The Orange, led by the relentless Nate Kingz, kept pace with 17 points by intermission, giving Syracuse fans hope for a tournament turnaround.
But the second half belonged to the Mustangs. After a back-and-forth start, SMU found another gear midway through the period. Senior guard Jaron Pierre Jr. caught fire, drilling three consecutive three-pointers in a span that ignited a 13-0 Mustangs run. Suddenly, SMU’s lead ballooned to 69-48 with 8:41 left, putting the game out of reach and sending the SMU faithful into a frenzy. Pierre Jr. finished with 21 points, 17 of which came in the second half, and five made threes—each one seemingly more deflating for the Orange than the last.
“We’ve been waiting for this kind of breakthrough,” said SMU head coach Andy Enfield after the game. “Our guys stayed together, played unselfishly, and the ball finally started falling our way in the second half.”
Boopie Miller, true to his All-ACC Second Team billing, led all scorers with 25 points, marking his 39th consecutive game in double figures—a streak that stands as the longest for an SMU player since 2000. Miller also contributed seven rebounds and four assists, displaying the all-around game that has made him a leader on and off the court. “I just try to do whatever the team needs,” Miller said. “Tonight it was about staying aggressive and making sure we didn’t let up.”
Toombs, who started only his third game of the season, finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and a career-high six assists. His performance marked the first Mustang double-double at halftime since Marcus Weathers accomplished the feat in 2022. Sophomore center Samet Yigitoglu joined the double-double club as well, tallying 12 points and 11 rebounds, along with three assists and a steal—his seventh double-double of the season and the tenth of his career. Senior forward Corey Washington rounded out SMU’s double-digit scorers with 12 points and seven rebounds, giving the Mustangs five starters in double figures.
SMU’s dominance on the glass proved decisive, as they outrebounded Syracuse 44-31, including a whopping 19 offensive boards that led to 26 second-chance points. The Mustangs also dished out 20 assists on their 34 made field goals, showcasing a level of ball movement and teamwork that has become a hallmark under Coach Enfield. “When we share the ball and crash the boards like that, we’re tough to beat,” Enfield noted.
Syracuse, meanwhile, struggled to find offensive rhythm in the second half. Kingz, who played all but one minute, poured in a game-high 25 points on 11-of-18 shooting and grabbed six rebounds, but he received little help down the stretch. Freshman Tyler Betsey provided a spark off the bench with 15 points, hitting five of eight from beyond the arc, but the Orange as a whole shot just 9-for-34 (26.5%) from three-point range. Syracuse finished the season with a disappointing 15-17 record, including a six-game losing streak to close out the campaign.
“We fought hard, but they just wore us down with their rebounding and execution,” said Syracuse interim coach in the postgame press conference. “Kingz gave us everything he had, but we needed more balance.” The Orange’s bench did manage 24 points, but it wasn’t enough to counteract SMU’s relentless starters, who accounted for all but two of the Mustangs’ field goal attempts.
SMU’s win was even more impressive considering they were without senior guard B.J. Edwards for the fourth consecutive game due to injury. Edwards, an All-ACC Honorable Mention and a key defensive stalwart, had started the Mustangs’ first 28 games and averaged 12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per contest. Yet, the Mustangs’ depth and adaptability shone through, with Toombs and Yigitoglu stepping up in his absence.
The victory also secured SMU’s second consecutive 20-win season under Coach Enfield, who now boasts a 44-23 record in two years at the helm. The Mustangs improved to 8-10 in ACC play and 20-12 overall, while their next opponent, Louisville, awaits after splitting the regular-season series with SMU—each team winning on its home court. This sets the stage for a tantalizing rematch, with a spot in the ACC quarterfinals on the line.
As for individual milestones, Jaron Pierre Jr. moved up the NCAA Division I active career scoring list, now with 2,153 points, while Miller sits at 1,988. The pair’s combined 1,170 points this season ranks as the top scoring tandem in SMU history, surpassing legendary duos of the past. Toombs’ emergence as a force in the paint—especially as a freshman—has given SMU an added dimension heading into the postseason.
The Mustangs’ 86 points were right on par with their season average (85.0), good for second in the ACC and 20th nationally. Their 46.6% shooting from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc reflected the kind of balanced attack that has defined their best performances. And with five players in double figures for the 10th time this season, SMU improved to 9-1 in such games—a testament to their offensive depth.
Looking ahead, SMU will need to maintain this level of execution and intensity against a battle-tested Louisville squad. The Cardinals, ranked 24th nationally, present a formidable challenge, but the Mustangs’ resurgence in Charlotte has injected fresh confidence into the program. With Miller’s scoring streak, Toombs’ breakout, and Enfield’s steady leadership, SMU appears poised to make noise as the ACC Tournament rolls on.
For Syracuse, the season ends with more questions than answers, but the emergence of Kingz and Betsey offers hope for the future. As for SMU, the eyes of the college basketball world will be watching to see if this momentum can carry them deeper into March.