CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Boopie Miller scored 25 points to lead five starters in double figures, Jaden Toombs and Samet Yigitoglu each had a double-double and No. 11 seed SMU beat 14th-seeded Syracuse 86-69 on Tuesday in the opening round of the ACC Tournament.
SMU (20-12), which had lost four ACC games in a row, advances to play 24th-ranked and sixth-seeded Louisville on Wednesday in the second round.
Toombs had a double-double in the first half with 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Miller added 11 points to help SMU hold a 39-38 lead at the break. Nate Kingz paced Syracuse with 17 points.
SMU pulled away midway through the second half when Jaron Pierre Jr. made three straight 3-pointers during a 13-0 run that ended in a 69-48 lead with 8:41 remaining. Pierre’s fifth 3-pointer of the second half made it 79-66.
Pierre finished with 21 points for SMU. Toombs had 16 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, Yigitoglu had 12 points and 11 boards, and Corey Washington also scored 12. The Mustang reserves only attempted two shots.
Kingz led Syracuse (15-17) with 25 points and Tyler Betsey added 15. The Orange shot 9 of 34 from distance (26%).
Up next
Syracuse ends the campaign on a six-game losing streak.
SMU split the regular-season series with Louisville as both teams won at home.
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