Syracuse faces a similar, yet tougher challenge to their last game when SMU visits

Syracuse looks to make it two straight wins at home on Saturday when they welcome a second straight team to the JMA Wireless Dome for the first time as a conference rival. This time, SMU is the visitor and they will be looking to add a road win over the Orange (14-11, 5-7 ACC) to their home and neutral floor victories last season and further their case for an NCAA Tournament bid.

The Mustangs (17-7, 6-5) have had a series of ups and downs in conference play this season, never winning or losing more than two straight games. They are, however, looking to end that trend by claiming a third straight win when they take on SU.

The Mustangs are guard-dominated with a clear leading man

Boopie Miller leads SMU’s high-powered offense that ranks first at T-Rank in adjusted offensive efficiency in ACC games. The Mustangs average over 81 points in conference play with Miller pouring in 19.2 points and handing out 6.8 assists per game, good for sixth and second in the ACC, respectively. Miller is also an excellent perimeter shooter (41.0 percent on 3’s) with sticky fingers (1.8 steals per game).

Miller leads a three-guard offense flanked by Jaron Pierre Jr., who ranks second on the squad with 17.7 points per game with 51 made 3-pointers, and B.J. Edwards, who adds 13.3 points and 5.0 assists per outing. Edwards also paces the ACC in steals with 2.5 per game.

Forward Corey Washington is a fourth efficient perimeter shooter ion the starting lineup, having made 33 triples at a 42.9 percent clip on the season. Washington is also capable of filling it up in the mid-range, as well.

That group of perimeter shooters is complimented by a big, big man

The lone big man in the SMU starting lineup is 7’2” Samet Yigitoglu, who rounds out their starting five where each player averages double figures in points. While merely a good defensive rebounder, Yigitoglu is excellent on the offensive glass, ranking 30th in the nation in offensive rebounding rate. He also provides solid rim protection for the Mustangs.

All told, this SMU squad is an efficient group of shooters, standing 25th in the country in effective field goal percentage. With the starting five all playing heavy minutes, it is easy to see how their inside-out game complemented with ball movement and strong shooting piles up the points.

While the Mustangs’ defense can be had, the key to actually defeating them often comes from outscoring them. Even with Yigitoglu’s size inside, SMU has often struggled with their interior defense in their losses. Five of the seven teams to defeat them have shot at least 60 percent on 2-point field goals.

While they do have a couple defenders who generate steals, the Mustangs do not generate a lot of turnovers. They also go not generally play a physical style, as they do not commit excessive fouls and are below average at rebounding on their end of the floor. They simply challenge opponents to make shots and keep up with their offense.

In other words, SMU seems like a better version of the California team Syracuse just played. The Orange needed double overtime to pull out that game on Wednesday night and the difference in quality between the Mustangs and the Golden Bears suggests another high-scoring affair, only with a different outcome.

SMU 83, Syracuse 77.

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