PITTSBURGH — SMU turned a competitive first half into a commanding road victory Saturday, using a dominant second-half surge to defeat Pittsburgh 86-67 at Petersen Events Center.
The Mustangs (16-7, 5-5 ACC) leaned on offensive efficiency, defensive pressure and another steady performance from Boopie Miller to secure a key conference win. Pittsburgh dropped to 9-15 overall and 2-9 in ACC play.
Miller finished with 20 points, extending his double-digit scoring streak to 30 consecutive games — the longest stretch by an SMU player in at least the last quarter century. The senior guard, who entered the matchup among the ACC’s leading scorers, also contributed nine assists and three steals, impacting nearly every phase of the game.
SMU broke open a tight contest immediately after halftime. The Mustangs opened the second half with a 9-0 run, holding Pitt scoreless for more than three minutes while stretching the lead to double digits. That momentum never faded.
The Mustangs shot a blistering 70.4% from the field after the break and outscored the Panthers 52-35 over the final 20 minutes. Two additional 9-0 runs later in the half erased any hope of a Pitt comeback and pushed SMU’s advantage beyond 20 points.
Jaron Pierre Jr. led SMU in scoring with 21 points, marking his eighth 20-point outing of the season. Sophomore center Samet Yigitoglu added 15 points, while Jaden Toombs chipped in 10 as the Mustangs continued their trend of balanced scoring. SMU has produced at least four double-figure scorers in 21 of its 23 games this season.
Offensively, SMU delivered one of its most efficient performances of the year. The Mustangs shot 57.1% overall and assisted on 20 of their 32 made field goals. B.J. Edwards directed the offense with six assists as SMU showcased the ball movement that has ranked among the ACC’s best throughout the season.
SMU also controlled the tempo in transition, piling up 25 fast-break points, tied for its second-highest total this year. The Mustangs dominated inside as well, outscoring Pitt 44-26 in the paint — a category that has consistently correlated with SMU victories this season.
Defensively, SMU forced turnovers and turned them into scoring opportunities, collecting nine steals while limiting Pitt to 36.1% shooting and just 8-of-33 from three-point range.
Head coach Andy Enfield improved to 40-18 in his second season leading SMU and 301-193 for his career. The Mustangs have now split their Quad 1 and Quad 2 opportunities this season at 7-7, strengthening their postseason résumé with the road victory.
SMU returns home Tuesday to face Notre Dame at Moody Coliseum before traveling to Syracuse next weekend. The Mustangs will then host nationally ranked Louisville in a pivotal ACC showdown later this month.
