Jan 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; SMU Mustangs guard Boopie Miller (2) drives to the basket previous North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) in the course of the recreation between the Mustangs and the Tar Heels at Moody Coliseum. Obligatory Credit score: Jerome Miron-Imagn Photographs Solely 4 Atlantic Coast Convention groups have unbeaten league information, and two of them will meet Wednesday night time at Clemson, S.C.
Contemporary off an upset, No. 24 SMU will arrive to tackle Clemson.
“We’ve got some objectives we need to accomplish and we need to compete,” Mustangs coach Andy Enfield mentioned. “Our gamers consider we will compete for an ACC championship. Our gamers are purchased in and so they’re competing.”
SMU (12-2, 1-0 ACC) opened league play with Saturday’s toppling of then-No. 12 North Carolina. That marked the Mustangs’ first victory towards a ranked opponent in nearly 4 years.
But no matter convention, it is no shock that SMU opened sturdy as a result of the workforce has gained its final 12 league openers.
Guard Boopie Miller has scored in double figures in 22 consecutive video games after posting 27 factors towards the Tar Heels.
“The most effective performances I’ve seen for a guard like this to not solely rating this many factors however to have 12 assists in a single recreation, on this stage,” Enfield mentioned.
Miller is averaging 20.4 factors for a workforce scoring 91.5 factors per recreation.
Clemson (12-3, 2-0) will play its convention dwelling opener after profitable at Syracuse and Pitt, marking the primary time the Tigers have begun ACC play with back-to-back street victories. Clemson has a five-game profitable streak, with all the outcomes by single-digit margins.
“Clearly a very good begin,” Tigers coach Brad Brownell mentioned. “We have 16 extra video games. … I feel our workforce has improved lots during the last month as a result of we have practiced extra, we have had extra time for movie. It has helped us develop.”
A pair of slender ACC triumphs appeared regular for the Tigers.
“We have been in that place lots this yr,” Clemson guard Jestin Porter mentioned.
The Tigers obtained a lift from Porter’s season-high 21 factors towards Pitt. That marked the primary time a Clemson participant reached the 20-point mark this season.
Three gamers — RJ Godfrey (11.7), Porter (11.1) and Carter Welling (10.1) — common in double figures for the Tigers. 4 different gamers present at the very least 6.9 factors per recreation.
“That is the one factor about our workforce, we’ve got fairly good depth,” Brownell mentioned.
Brownell mentioned the Tigers should be cognizant of attacking on offense to allow them to earn extra free-throw makes an attempt.
“Generally it is not straightforward for us to attain,” he mentioned.
Clemson’s protection could have to concentrate on SMU’s shooters after the Mustangs drained 14 of 27 pictures from 3-point vary Saturday. Corey Washington made a career-high 5 3s within the recreation.
“It’s important to must have offensive gamers gifted sufficient and unselfish sufficient to make the best move on the proper time,” Enfield mentioned.
Enfield mentioned guard play dictates how the Mustangs carry out.
“Our greatest gamers are our three guards,” he mentioned.
The Mustangs are 1-1 in true street video games. After the journey to Clemson, they go to No. 6 Duke.
“We’ve got a giant week forward of us,” Enfield mentioned. “However for now, how (our gamers have) dealt with themselves for the reason that Christmas break has been over has been terrific and really centered.”
–Subject Stage Media
