Strong Second Half Leads SMU By Tar Heels, 97-83

Saturday, January 3

Dallas, Texas

2:15 p.m.

North Carolina

13-2,1-1ACC

SMU

12-2,1-0ACC

North Carolina

SMU

Seth Trimble

Photo by: Maggie Hobson

January 3, 2026 | Men's Basketball

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By: Matt Bowers

DALLAS — SMU shot 71 percent in the second half and raced past 12th-ranked North Carolina, 97-83, on Saturday afternoon in Moody Coliseum, ending the Tar Heels' seven-game winning streak.

After the game was tied at 39 at halftime, the Mustangs exploded offensively in the second half with 58 points and a 9-for-15 (60 percent) performance from three-point range to pull away in the final minutes. SMU's 71.4 percent second-half shooting was the best half by a Tar Heel opponent in five seasons under head coach Hubert Davis. The 58 second-half points allowed were a season-high for UNC.

SMU shot 51.9 percent from behind the arc overall as UNC allowed a season-high 14 three-pointers in the game.

SMU's Boopie Miller hit 10 of 13 shots and led all players with 27 points and 12 assists. Corey Washington was nearly as good for the Mustangs, hitting 5 of 7 three-pointers and scoring 23.

Senior Seth Trimble led Carolina with 22 points for his second consecutive and third career 20-point game, adding five assists. Jarin Stevenson hit 3 of 4 three-pointers and scored a season-high 16 points in 21 effective minutes. Caleb Wilson had 13 points and seven rebounds, and Henri Veesaar added 14 points and six boards for UNC.

The Mustangs (12-2, 1-0 ACC) snapped Carolina's seven-game winning streak, dropping the Tar Heels to 13-2, 1-1. SMU snapped its 12-game losing streak against AP-ranked opponents over the last four seasons.

SMU led for most of the first half, shooting 50 percent in the opening 20 minutes while forcing six Carolina turnovers. The Tar Heels rallied late in the half and tied the score, 39-all, at halftime behind nine points from Stevenson and eight from Wilson.

Carolina played relatively well in the second half, but the Mustangs shot over 71 percent after the break to grab the win.

How It Happened
First Half
• SMU used an 11-0 run to take a 13-4 lead early, as Carolina missed 7 of its first 9 shots.
• The Mustangs led for much of the first half, hitting five three-pointers and shooting 50.0 percent (16 for 32) overall to hold UNC at arm's length in the first 15 minutes.
• Carolina went on a 13-2 run to retake control and the lead, 31-29 in the last five minutes.
• After a cold start, the Tar Heels shot 47.1 percent overall in the half, including 6 for 12 from three-point range. Five Tar Heels hit three-pointers in the half.
• Stevenson led Carolina with nine points in the first half, hitting both of his three-point attempts and all three of his shots.

Second Half
• SMU was hot offensively coming out of the half and led, 60-50, before Veesaar hit a three-pointer from the top of the key and Trimble scored to cut the deficit back to five at 60-55.
• The Tar Heels hung with the Mustangs for the rest of the half but never got closer than a four-point deficit in the final 17 minutes.
• SMU shot 71.4 percent in the second half, including 9 for 15 (60.0 percent) from three-point range.

Notes
• The game was the second ACC meeting between the schools since SMU joined the conference prior to the 2024-25 season and Carolina's first ACC road game in the series.

Up Next
Carolina has a week off and will host Wake Forest on Saturday January 10 at 6 p.m. on ACC Network. UNC will play only two games in Chapel Hill in the month of January.