Matt Cross leads SMU to a dominating win over Boston College

In a thrilling basketball matchup held in Dallas, Texas, on December 29, 2024, the SMU Mustangs defeated the Longwood Lancers with a final score of 98-82. This game served as SMU's closing nonconference matchup for the season, marking their seventh consecutive victory. The Mustangs exhibited incredible shooting performance, completing 62 percent of their field goals and making half of their attempts from beyond the three-point line. Boopie Miller played a pivotal role in the game, scoring 24 points and contributing seven assists, while Yohan Traoire added a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Longwood, maintaining a commendable record, remained competitive throughout the game by capitalizing on SMU's defensive lapses, which led to a total of 20 turnovers and 10 steals. Despite facing a significant deficit after a critical 14-1 run from SMU, the Lancers fought to stay close, with Elijah Tucker's jumper reducing the margin to just seven points in the second half. In the scoring department, Tucker led Longwood with 20 points, while Coby Garland delivered an impressive performance with 19 points and 11 assists. The victory over Longwood improved SMU's season record to 11-2, highlighting their strong performance particularly in home games, where they held a 6-1 record. This matchup also underscored both teams' offensive capabilities, as SMU leads the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring, primarily focusing on points in the paint, while Longwood posed a potent scoring threat, ranking third in their league. As SMU looks ahead, they will face a challenging game against the highly-ranked No. 4 Duke in the upcoming fixtures, indicating a crucial moment in their season as they seek further success in conference play. Meanwhile, Longwood will transition into their Big South Conference schedule with an upcoming game against Presbyterian, aiming to maintain a strong performance as they progress into the latter part of the season.