SMU hopes to avoid postseason resume trap vs. struggling Notre Dame
SMU looks to take care of business and build some momentum for the stretch run when it faces a struggling Notre Dame team Tuesday in Dallas.
The Mustangs (16-7, 5-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) head home after a dominating 86-67 win at Pitt on Saturday that snapped a two-game losing streak. Both of those losses came against Quad 1 teams.
SMU made its case to be in the running for an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament by taking care of the Panthers in short fashion after leading by just two points at halftime.
Jaron Pierre Jr. led the Mustangs with 21 points in Saturday's victory while Boopie Miller scored 20 points and finished with nine assists, Samet Yigitoglu racked up 15 points and eight rebounds, and Jaden Toombs hit for 10 points off the bench.
SMU shot 57.1% from the floor and held Pitt to 36.1% shooting.
"We can score the ball," SMU coach Andy Enfield said after the win. "We just have to defend it at the other end to allow us to get out in transition, which we did a great job of in the second half. ... You have to get stops on the other end before you get out in transition."
The Mustangs lead the ACC in scoring with 86.4 points per game
Notre Dame (11-13, 2-9) is tied at the bottom of the ACC standings thanks to a four-game losing streak, with the latest setback an 82-79 decision at home against Florida State on Saturday.
The Fighting Irish have just one victory since the calendar turned to 2026, a 68-64 home win over Boston College on Jan. 24, and have dropped nine of their past 10 outings.
Braeden Shrewsberry had 18 points and Jalen Haralson scored 15 before fouling out with 2:33 to lead the Irish in Saturday's loss.
Notre Dame nearly flipped the script, getting hot from the floor in the second half to turn an 18-point first-half deficit into a 75-74 lead with 2:07 to play. But four missed free throws in the final minutes ultimately doomed the Irish, who would miss the ACC tournament if it began today.
"I need to put us in better positions. Maybe I need to change the lineup, maybe I need (to) change who starts, when we're subbing, whatever it may be," Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry said. "It was unacceptable how we started. I'll take full responsibility for it."