SMU Mustangs Triumph Over Syracuse in ACC Tournament
In a decisive match at the ACC Tournament held in Charlotte, North Carolina, the SMU Mustangs, seeded 11th, triumphed over the 14th-seeded Syracuse team with a score of 86-69. This victory comes as a relief for SMU, which had faced a tough stretch with four consecutive losses in the ACC prior to this game, ending the regular season with a record of 20 wins and 12 losses.
Key Performers
Leading the charge for SMU was Boopie Miller, who scored an impressive 25 points. Complementing his efforts, Jaden Toombs and Samet Yigitoglu both contributed to the team’s success by achieving double-doubles, with Toombs collecting 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Yigitoglu adding 12 points along with 11 boards. Notably, Toombs’s double-double was secured in the first half alone, where he assisted in narrowly guiding the Mustangs to a 39-38 lead at halftime, alongside Miller’s 11 points.
Syracuse’s key player, Nate Kingz, pulled in 17 points, while Tyler Betsey added 15 for the Orange. However, Syracuse struggled from beyond the arc, making only 9 of their 34 attempts (about 26%). The Orange ended their season on a disappointing six-game losing streak, concluding with a record of 15-17.
Pivotal Moments
The pivotal moment for SMU came midway through the second half, when Jaron Pierre Jr. ignited a 13-0 scoring run, netting three consecutive three-pointers, which helped push SMU ahead by as many as 21 points at 69-48 with just 8:41 left on the clock. Pierre finished the night with 21 points, marking a significant contribution off the bench.
