SMU Mustangs defeat Syracuse Orange 73-53 in tournament

SMU Mustangs defeated Syracuse Orange 73-53 in the second round of the ACC Tournament on Wednesday. Chuck Harris and Matt Cross led SMU with 12 points each, while J.J. Starling scored 16 for Syracuse. SMU improved to 23-9 and will face third-seeded Clemson in the quarterfinals. The Mustangs shot 53.2% from the field, contrasting with their narrow win over Syracuse earlier this month. SMU took control in the second half, starting with a 7-0 run. They maintained a comfortable lead throughout, with their largest advantage reaching 15 points late in the game.