SMU Mustangs at Syracuse Orange
· NCAA Men's Basketball
Freeman scores 18, Kingz hits game-winner as Syracuse edges SMU 79-78
Syracuse (15–11, 6–7 ACC) trailed 61-49 with just over 12 minutes left and spent most of the second half playing from behind. Kingz capped the comeback by driving the lane and finishing through traffic after Syracuse secured a defensive rebound and called a timeout with 13 seconds left.
Tyler Betsey’s 3-pointer with 3:50 remaining pulled Syracuse within 76-75, and Naithan George added a layup on the next possession. SMU (17–8, 6–6) missed two free throws and four straight field goals in the final 90 seconds, leaving the door open for Syracuse’s final possession.
Freeman blocked four shots for the Orange, while George added 16 points and six assists. Betsey and Kiyan Anthony each finished with 13 off the bench, with Anthony hitting three second‑half 3-pointers. Syracuse shot 45% from the field and made 11 3s.
Jaden Toombs led SMU with 19 points and five rebounds off the bench, and Corey Washington added 13 points and nine boards. Jaron Pierre Jr. scored 12, and Boopie Miller had 11, as the two combined for five made 3-pointers. The Mustangs went 13 of 17 at the line but had two crucial misses in the closing minute.
Syracuse faces No. 4 Duke on Thursday.
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Recent Plays
| 2nd 0:00 | End of Game | 78 - 79 |
| 2nd 0:00 | End of 2nd half | 78 - 79 |
| 2nd 0:02 | Nate Kingz makes driving layup | 78 - 79 |
| 2nd 0:13 | Jermaine O'Neal Jr. subbing in for SMU | 78 - 77 |
| 2nd 0:13 | Jaden Toombs subbing out for SMU | 78 - 77 |
Statistics
 SMU |
 SYR |
|
|---|---|---|
| 29-67 | FG | 27-60 |
| 43 | Field Goal % | 45 |
| 7-20 | 3PT | 11-30 |
| 35 | Three Point % | 37 |
| 13-17 | FT | 14-18 |
| 76 | Free Throw % | 78 |
| 41 | Rebounds | 35 |
| 16 | Offensive Rebounds | 11 |
| 25 | Defensive Rebounds | 24 |
| 16 | Assists | 14 |
| 6 | Steals | 2 |
| 2 | Blocks | 8 |
| 6 | Turnovers | 8 |
| 0 | Team Turnovers | 0 |
| 6 | Total Turnovers | 8 |
| 0 | Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Total Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| 10 | Points Off Turnovers | 8 |
| 13 | Fast Break Points | 6 |
| 44 | Points in Paint | 26 |
| 19 | Fouls | 16 |
| 12 | Largest Lead | 2 |
| 7 | Lead Changes | 7 |
| 92 | Percent Led | 4 |
Game Information
Location: Syracuse, NY
Attendance: 19,680 | Capacity:
2025-26 Atlantic Coast Conference Standings
| TEAM | CONF | GB | OVER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke | 17-1 | - | 32-2 |
| Virginia | 15-3 | 2 | 29-5 |
| Miami | 13-5 | 4 | 25-8 |
| North Carolina | 12-6 | 5 | 24-8 |
| Clemson | 12-6 | 5 | 24-10 |
| Louisville | 11-7 | 6 | 23-10 |
| NC State | 10-8 | 7 | 20-13 |
| Florida State | 10-8 | 7 | 18-15 |
| California | 9-9 | 8 | 21-11 |
| Stanford | 9-9 | 8 | 20-12 |
| SMU | 8-10 | 9 | 20-13 |
| Virginia Tech | 8-10 | 9 | 19-13 |
| Wake Forest | 7-11 | 10 | 17-16 |
| Syracuse | 6-12 | 11 | 15-17 |
| Pittsburgh | 5-13 | 12 | 13-20 |
| Notre Dame | 4-14 | 13 | 13-18 |
| Boston College | 4-14 | 13 | 11-20 |
| Georgia Tech | 2-16 | 15 | 11-20 |