"King Him" - Nate Kingz Helps 'Cuse Edge SMU

On a Valentine's Day afternoon in Central New York, it heated up enough for the ice in Syracuse to finally start to melt.

The visiting team was dressed appropriately in red as the Mustangs of SMU entered into their third contest all-time versus Syracuse.

SMU won the only other two contests played between themselves and Syracuse, which both happened in the 2024-25 season, SMU's first season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

The Mustangs would score first, thanks to a layup by sophomore center Samet Yigitoglu.

From there the game would be tied five times between the 19:15 and 14:25 marks.

Jermaine O'Neal, Jr., son of longtime National Basketball Association (NBA) player Jermaine O'Neal, rocked the rim so hard at the 9:19 mark that the entire stand was moving back and forth after he let go. This slam gave the Mustangs a 24-17 lead.

A missed three-pointer by O'Neal would be rebounded by senior forward Corey Washington and kicked out to senior guard Jaron Pierre, Jr., for a corner three to give SMU a double-digit lead, 33-21, with 6:18 remaining in the first half.

Syracuse would respond with a 14-4 run that brought them within two, down 37-35, at the 1:43 mark.

There would only be one score in the final 1:42, which came from Washington on a jumper at the 1:06 mark, that gave the Mustangs a 39-35 lead at the break.

Inside 16 minutes left in the game, that four-point lead had turned into a 10-point advantage, with SMU ahead 54-44.

Orange true freshman guard Kiyan Anthony's first points of the game off the bench came at the 14:21 mark, on a right-corner three to get Syracuse under a double-digit deficit, down 56-47.

Anthony, sophomore forward Tyler Betsey, and junior guard Naithan George made back-to-back-to-back threes to bring the Orange to within two, 69-67, with 7:34 remaining.

SMU and Syracuse traded baskets, with senior guard B.J. Edwards going inside for a layup and Betsey with a floater, keeping the game at two points of separation, 71-69 Mustangs.

Anthony would give the Orange the lead on an old-fashioned three-point play, at 72-71.

A three by senior guard Boopie Miller followed by two free throws by Washington gave the Mustangs a 76-72 lead, but Betsey connected from long range once again to get the Orange to a one-point deficit, at 76-75, with 3:50 to go.

George's layup would roll the Orange ahead 77-76. However, freshman center Jaden Toombs' jumper at the 2:43 mark put the Mustangs on the right side of the things in response, ahead 78-77.

There would be no score until two seconds and change on the game clock, when redshirt-senior guard Nate Kingz drove to the left side of the basket and elevated for two, giving Syracuse a 79-78 victory.

The win ends a losing streak for the Orange at two games, improving to 15-11 overall and 6-7 in ACC play.

A loss for the Mustangs places them at 17-8 overall and 6-6 in the ACC.

Freeman had 18 points for Syracuse, followed by George with 16, and 13-apiece for Kingz and Anthony.

Toombs led all Mustangs with 19 points, followed by Washington with 13, Pierre with 12, Miller and Yigitoglu each with 11, and Edwards with 10.