After a 1-1 start to 2025 on the road, the North Carolina Tar Heels return home on Tuesday, January 7 with hopes of picking up their third ACC win.
UNC will host ACC newcomer SMU for a late, 9 p.m. ET tip-off. North Carolina is coming off a close, 74-73 win over Notre Dame on Saturday, while the visiting Mustangs lost by 27 – at home – to Duke on Saturday.
The Tar Heels (9-6, 2-1 ACC) hold a brief, 2-1 record in their all-time series with SMU (11-3, 2-1), including a 90-74 win in Chapel Hill during 1987. With the Mustangs now part of the ACC, expect to see UNC play its new conference opponent annually, unless we undergo conference realignment in the near future.
North Carolina isn’t in the clear yet, but we’re starting to see lineup combinations that work. Ian Jackson is thriving in Seth Trimble’s absence, with the former scoring 20 points in four straight games. Jalen Washington is playing the best basketball of his junior season, coming off a season-high five blocks in South Bend. Elliot Cadeau played hero against the Fighting Irish, sinking the game-tying 3-pointer and the ensuing, game-winning free throw.
SMU is led by Wake Forest transfer Boopie Miller, who averages 15.8 points per game as a starting guard for the Mustangs. Chuck Harris (11.4 ppg) and Matt Cross (10.7) give SMU two additional scorers in double-digits, while Cross (8.2 rebounds per game) and 7’2″ center Samet Yigitoglu (6.6) provide a 1-2 punch in the post.
The Mustangs aren’t as good as their record shows, but they didn’t get to 11 wins magically. The Tar Heels aren’t playing up to preseason expectations, but appear to be finding a groove with recent results.
Let’s take a deeper dive into our preview of UNC’s fourth conference matchup. With a victory, North Carolina can move into a tie with Louisville and Wake Forest, for third in the ACC.
Key to victory for UNC
North Carolina has a tendency to start slow and finish games strong this season, but that all changed on Saturday in South Bend.
The Tar Heels outscored Notre Dame in the first half, 39-32, giving them a lead that proved to play a major advantage in the end. UNC was outscored by six points in the second half, but an Elliot Cadeau 4-point sequence – and timely defense after – helped UNC collect a needed ACC win.
If North Carolina is somehow able to build another first-half lead on Tuesday against SMU, it’ll have the Tar Heel faithful behind it during the second half. The Dean Dome gets loud, particularly when UNC is playing well, so a strong first half is needed for a win.
Something to watch
Ian Jackson is a scoring machine, with North Carolina’s star freshman recording 20-point outings in his past four games. Jackson is taking advantage of his starting opportunities, with Seth Trimble missing the past few games from an upper-body injury.
If Trimble is healthy for the SMU game, though, Hubert Davis could opt to start him. Maybe Hubert sends Cadeau to the bench and starts Trimble in his place, or maybe Jackson is relegated to a sixth-man role.
Benching Jackson would be silly, as he’s the closest thing UNC has to offensive consistency. Hubert could start Trimble in place of Drake Powell, but that takes height away from an already-small Tar Heels squad.
You should pay close attention to North Carolina’s lineup combination ahead of the SMU game.
What you need to know
What: North Carolina Tar Heels (9-6, 2-1 ACC) vs. SMU Mustangs (11-3, 2-1 ACC)
When: Tuesday, January 7 at 9 p.m. ET
Where: Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
TV: ACC Network
Line: North Carolina -7.5
Last Meeting: UNC 90, SMU 74 in Chapel Hill during 1987
All-Time Series: UNC leads 2-1
Statistical leaders
North Carolina Points: RJ Davis, G, 17.7 points per game
North Carolina Rebounds: Jalen Washington, F, 4.9 rebounds per game
North Carolina Assists: Elliot Cadeau, G, 6.1 assists per game
SMU Points: Boopie Miller, G, 15.8 points per game
SMU Rebounds: Matt Cross, F, 8.2 rebounds per game
SMU Assists: Boopie Miller, G, 5.9 assists per game
Full UNC basketball schedule
Oct. 12: Blue-White Scrimmage (Blue 62, White 53)
Oct. 15: Exhibition @ Memphis (W, 84-76)
Oct. 27: Exhibition vs. Johnson C. Smith (W, 127-63)
Nov. 4: vs. Elon (W, 90-76) (1-0, 0-0)
Nov. 8: at Kansas (L, 92-89) (1-1, 0-0)
Nov. 15: vs. American University (W, 108-55) (2-1, 0-0)
Nov. 22: at Hawaii (W, 87-69) (3-1, 0-0)
Nov. 25: vs. Dayton, Maui Invitational (W, 92-90) (4-1, 0-0)
Nov. 26: vs. Auburn, Maui Invitational (L, 85-72) (4-2, 0-0)
Nov. 27: vs. Michigan State, Maui Invitational (L, 94-90 OT) (4-3, 0-0)
Dec. 4: vs. Alabama, SEC/ACC Challenge (L, 94-79) (4-4, 0-0)
Dec. 7: vs. Georgia Tech (W, 68-65) (5-4, 1-0 ACC)
Dec. 14: vs. La Salle (W, 93-67) (6-4, 1-0)
Dec. 17: vs. Florida, Jumpman Invitational (L, 90-84) (6-5, 1-0)
Dec. 21: vs. UCLA, CBS Sports Classic (W, 76-74) (7-5, 1-0)
Dec. 29: vs. Campbell (W, 97-81) (8-5, 1-0)
Jan. 1: at Louisville (L, 83-70) (8-6, 1-1)
Jan. 4: at Notre Dame (W, 74-73) (9-6, 2-1)
Jan. 7: vs. SMU
Jan. 11: at NC State
Jan. 15: vs. California
Jan. 18: vs. Stanford
Jan. 21: at Wake Forest
Jan. 25: vs. Boston College
Jan. 28: at Pitt
Feb. 1: at Duke
Feb. 8: vs. Pitt
Feb. 10: at Clemson
Feb. 15: at Syracuse
Feb. 19: vs. NC State
Feb. 22: vs. Virginia
Feb. 24: at Florida State
March 1: vs. Miami (FL)
March 4: at Virginia Tech
March 8: vs. Duke
March 11-15: ACC Tournament (Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC)
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire : UNC basketball vs. SMU game preview, info and more
