NCAA basketball: SMU’s Boopie Miller stuns Virginia Tech with halfcourt buzzer-beater

It took a clutch shot from SMU senior guard Boopie Miller at the buzzer to secure a narrow win over ACC foe Virginia Tech on Wednesday night.

The Hokies appeared to have the win in hand in the final seconds, but Miller’s half-court jumper flipped the script. After taking the ball on a full-court inbounds pass, he pushed past a Virginia Tech defender and rose to take the shot.

Miller, who entered Wednesday’s contest averaging 20.8 points and 7.9 assists per game this season, capped his 24-point night with a 77-76 win in front of a roaring home crowd.

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SMU Mustangs guard Boopie Miller (2) drives to the basket against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the second half at Moody Coliseum on Jan 14, 2026 in Dallas, Texas.  (Raymond Carlin III/Imagn Images)

SMU coach Andy Enfield spoke about the team’s final play strategy. “Let’s get the ball to Boopie and we rode with that,” he said after the game.

Miller said he was confident the ball was going into the hoop immediately after it left his hand. “I missed too many free throws,” he said. “So, I knew it was going in.”

Miller’s teammate, Samet Yigotoglu, also expressed confidence about where the buzzer-beating shot would land. “Um… yeah,” he said while laughing.

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Enfield also revealed that Miller recently faced the flu, which resulted in some noticeable weight loss.

“His body was incredible,” Enfield said. “Kurtis Shulz, our strength coach, put 10 pounds of muscle on him in the offseason, you saw how strong he was. All that muscle’s gone right now. … For him to be able to play 35 minutes is a credit to him. Just tells you who he is as a player, who he is as a person. He wanted to be out there.”

SMU Mustangs guard Boopie Miller (2) and teammates following a game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Moody Coliseum on Jan. 14, 2026 in Dallas, Texas.  (Raymond Carlin III/Imagn Images)

SMU secured just its second win over an ACC opponent on Wednesday. The Mustangs also improved their overall record to 13-4. SMU entered the matchup with Virginia Tech on a two-game losing skid.

SMU Mustangs guard Boopie Miller (2) reacts after making the game winning half court shot against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Moody Coliseum on Jan. 14, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. (Raymond Carlin III/Imagn Images)

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Next up, SMU hosts Virginia on Saturday.

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