Mustangs Crush Syracuse in ACC First Round

The Syracuse Orange concluded their season with a 86-69 defeat against the SMU Mustangs in the ACC Tournament first round on Tuesday. The game was characterized by Syracuse's season-long struggles, including poor 3-point shooting and an inability to control the boards. SMU capitalized on 19 offensive rebounds, converting them into 25 second-chance points.

The Mustangs built a significant lead in the second half with a 28-8 run, which featured a 13-point scoring outburst that Syracuse could not overcome. SMU's balanced offense saw all five starters achieve double-digit scoring, led by Boopie Miller's 25 points and Jaron Pierre Jr.'s 21 points, both hitting five 3-pointers. Syracuse's top scorer, Nate Kingz, had 25 points, and Tyler Betsey contributed 14 points, but it wasn't enough to counter SMU's performance. The season ended with Syracuse holding a 15-17 record.