SMU Mustangs Upset #12 UNC Tar Heels at Moody Coliseum 97-83

Photo Credit: Donovan Bridgeforth

DALLAS, Texas (TXAN 24) - There's very few things in sports that rival ACC Basketball, and Saturday the famous Southern Methodist University Moody Coliseum on the Hilltop was home to a premiere match-up between the Mustangs and University of North Carolina Tar Heels.

Photo credit: Donovan Bridgeforth

The atmosphere was electric as fandom from both sides piled into the arena hours before game time. The Mustangs wasted no time after tip-off to turn up the heat on defense and jump start their offense, scoring the first points of the game.

Boopie Miller got off to a hot start with five early points and creating plays for teammates to get the Moody home crowd into this game early. But Miller also racked up two early fouls and had to sit with just over twelve minutes in the first half.

The Mustangs turned to Jaron Pierre Jr. who chipped in to pick up the slack and ignited the arena once again; as the Mustangs led by nine points with just over seven minutes remaining in the first half.

The Tar Heels were led by freshman Caleb Wilson as he kept the game competitive and brought UNC to within one point of SMU with five minutes remaining in the first half on a monster slam.

A three ball from Henri Veesaar gave UNC its first lead of the game, which was in turn answered on the other end by B.J. Davis Ray on an assist from Boopie Miller.

Photo credit: Donovan Bridgeforth

The team began trading the lead back and forth as the first half winded down, with SMU having the final possession and none other than Boopie Miller capped off the period with a bucket that left this game tied 39-39.

After the halftime break, the teams returned to the floor, ready to battle and the Mustangs picked up where they left off and grabbed a six point lead over UNC in the first five minutes.

Boopie Miller began putting on a show for the Moody crowd with crossover on Caleb Wilson that sent him to the floor as Miller swished home a jumper. SMU Mustangs enjoyed a six point lead with three-fourths of the game in the books.

In addition to the various numbers of NBA Scouts that were in the building, two former NBA Stars were in attendance, Michael Finley and Jermaine O'Neal.

Boopie Miller continued to terrioze the Tar Heels defense late into the second half, as the lead began to grow for the Mustangs and the momentum in the crowd began to build.

Corey Washington joined the scoring party and joined Miller for 20+ points a piece, feeding into the thirteen point lead the Mustangs held as the game clock ticked under five minutes in the ball game.

SMU would control the game in the final minutes and cruise to a victory at home with a final score of 97-83.