The SMU Mustangs defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 97-83 in the ACC opener at Moody Coliseum in Dallas. Boopie Miller led SMU with 27 points and 12 assists, snapping the Mustangs' 12-game losing streak against top-25 teams. North Carolina's 13-game win streak ended as they struggled against SMU's hot shooting in the second half.
The North Carolina Tar Heels entered their ACC road opener against the SMU Mustangs with a 13-1 record, fresh off a 79-66 win over Florida State. SMU, at 11-2, hosted the 12th-ranked Tar Heels on January 3, 2026, at 2:15 p.m. ET in Dallas, Texas. The game aired on the CW Network and streamed on Fubo.
The first half was competitive, with both teams tying at 39-39 at halftime. UNC started slowly, matching four turnovers with four points in the opening six minutes, allowing SMU an early 13-4 lead. Boopie Miller contributed nine points for SMU, who shot 50% from the field and made four of eight threes. Jarin Stevenson led UNC with nine points off the bench, including two threes—his first as a Tar Heel—helping spark a 13-2 run that brought UNC within one at 32-31 late in the half. The Tar Heels held a 16-8 edge in bench points and committed only six turnovers total before the break.
SMU pulled away in the second half, outscoring UNC 58-44 while shooting 71.4% from the field and 60% overall. Miller dominated with 27 points and 12 assists, including an ankle-breaking three-pointer during an 8-of-11 shooting stretch. Corey Washington added 23 points, including five of SMU's 14 threes—the most UNC allowed this season. BJ Edwards scored 15, and Jaron Pierre Jr. had 11 for the Mustangs, who also led by 10 in the paint and scored 10 fast-break points.
For UNC, Seth Trimble led with 22 points, followed by Jarin Stevenson (16), Henri Veesaar (14 points, six rebounds), and Caleb Wilson (13 points, seven rebounds). The Tar Heels, who entered limiting opponents to 36.1% shooting, couldn't contain SMU's guards or perimeter game. This marked SMU's first top-25 win since 2022 and UNC's first loss since December 2 against Kentucky.
No injuries were reported, with Luka Bogavac and Isaiah Denis available after being listed as probable.
