DALLAS (AP) — Jaron Pierre Jr. scored 22 points, Boopie Miller added 20 and SMU pulled away midway through the second half and cruised past Notre Dame 89-81 on Tuesday night.
Pierre made three 3s and scored 13 points during a 19-6 run to give SMU a 69-56 lead with 8:21 remaining. Pierre capped the surge with a windmill dunk.
Notre Dame cut the deficit to 83-77 with 1:12 left, but Pierre answered with a layup and B.J. Edwards made two free throws to push the lead to 87-77 with 22 seconds to go.
Corey Washington added 14 points, and Samet Yigitoglu chipped in with 11 points and 10 rebounds for SMU (17-7, 6-5 Atlantic Coast Conference). The Mustangs shot 52.5% (32 of 61) from the floor. Pierre, Miller and Washington combined for 10 of their 19 3-pointers.
Jalen Haralson scored 23 points to lead Notre Dame (11-14, 2-10). Cole Certa and Braeden Shrewsberry each added 16 points. The Fighting Irish have lost five straight and 10 of their last 11 games.
SMU opened on a 21-11 run before Notre Dame tied it 34-all with about three minutes to play in the first half. Miller scored the last six points to give the Mustangs 43-37 lead at the break.
It was Notre Dame’s first game at Moody Coliseum since 1990.
Up next
Notre Dame hosts Georgia Tech on Saturday.
SMU plays at Syracuse on Saturday.
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