UNC falters as SMU guards, Boopie Miller torch Tar Heels’ defense in upset
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- SMU guards exploited UNC perimeter defense, hitting 14 of 27 three-pointers.
- Boopie Miller dominated with 27 points and 12 assists while limiting turnovers.
- UNC allowed 97 points and posted one of its worst defensive performances since 1997.
When asked what allowed SMU to have such success from 3-point range on Saturday, North Carolina guard Luka Bogavac didn’t hesitate.
“We were soft on defense,” the Montenegrin guard said after the No. 12 Tar Heels’ 97-83 loss to the Mustangs at Moody Coliseum in Dallas.
Bogavac added that UNC “just expected them to miss shots.” It was, if true, an assumption that proved costly against an SMU backcourt that controlled the game from start to finish — none more so than point guard Boopie Miller.
The Wake Forest transfer finished with 27 points and 12 assists, becoming the first opposing guard to record 12 assists against UNC since Maryland’s Melo Trimble in 2015. But unlike Trimble, who committed eight turnovers in that game, Miller had just two while shooting 10 for 13 from the field. He missed only one shot in the second half and directed an SMU offense that shot a blistering 71.4% after halftime.
“They were just able to get anywhere they wanted to offensively,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said after the loss. “Boopie was in control of the ball whether it’s a 1-on-1 [or] ball screen action.”
Even when North Carolina (13-2, 1-1 ACC) tried to get the ball out of Miller’s hands, his teammates capitalized. SMU’s trio of guards — Miller, Corey Washington and B.J. Edwards — combined for 65 points. The Tar Heels’ defense entered Saturday allowing just 63.7 points per game, a mark that’s first in the ACC and top 20 in the nation.
Washington scored 23 points, including five 3-pointers, while Edwards added 15 points and six assists. Five Mustangs reached double figures.
“We knew our guards had to play well today to beat North Carolina,” SMU coach Andy Enfield said. “Our leading scorers are our three guards … but our guards had to play well. You can’t beat a team like this, as talented as Carolina is, without your guards playing well. And they all played great.”
Historic, in a bad way, for UNC defense
By UNC standards, SMU’s performance was historic. The Mustangs shot 60% for the game, becoming the first team this season to shoot better than 50% in both halves against the Tar Heels. The 97 points scored were the most UNC has allowed in regulation since Davis’ first season as head coach, and, according to KenPom efficiency ratings, marked the Tar Heels’ second-worst defensive showing since 1997.
“We weren’t the most physical,” said North Carolina senior guard Seth Trimble. “We weren’t as physical as we should’ve been. They generated a lot of open looks. They had us scrambling. But, I mean, they shot the ball extremely well tonight.”
The breakdown was most evident from the perimeter. SMU knocked down 14 of 27 3-point attempts (51.9%), the most UNC has allowed in a game this season and its most in regulation since Louisville hit 15 in 2022.
UNC hadn’t surrendered more than 74 points in its first 14 games, but SMU reached that total with more than seven minutes remaining in the second half. The Mustangs poured in 58 points after the break to turn a 39-39 halftime tie into a comfortable win.
The Tar Heels trailed for 33 minutes and led for just over four.
“They had a lot of different players able to attack the paint, kick it out, knock down shots,” said Tar Heels forward Jarin Stevenson, who finished with a season-high 16 points behind three triples. “I feel like they’re a very talented team. So again, it’s one-on-one [matchups]. Keep them out of the paint and work from there.”
UNC shot well, but offense was not enough
Offensively, UNC never found a steady rhythm despite shooting 48.3 from the field.
Davis leaned on Trimble at point guard for long stretches in the second half while using Derek Dixon and Kyan Evans sparingly. Trimble led the Tar Heels with 22 points, but North Carolina still struggled to break down SMU’s defense in half-court sets. Trimble later said he could have been “more aggressive” in starting the offense.
“I’ve been a point guard all my life,” Trimble said, “so that comfort level is definitely there if HD asks for it. … I let Edwards pressure and I kind of just let him do it instead of, you know, exposing the pressure, maybe blowing by him, or anything like that.”
The Mustangs also limited freshman standout Caleb Wilson, particularly late in the game. SMU held Wilson to three shot attempts over the final 16 minutes. He finished with 13 points and seven rebounds, while Henri Veesaar added 14 points and six boards, — both below their season averages.
There are many lessons for the Tar Heels to take away from this one, but the main one was clear.
“They scored 97 points on us,” Stevenson said. “That’s unacceptable. We’ve got to be better than that.”