Things didn't go the SMU men's basketball team's way for much of the game Wednesday night, but when it mattered most, the Mustangs got it done.

With 2.6 seconds left, trailing by two, Boopie Miller took the inbounds pass from B.J. Edwards, dribbled twice, took off from Virginia Tech's side of the court and let go of the ball with .5 seconds left just as he crossed the halfcourt line.

The ball went through the hoop, the fire went off and the Mustangs began celebrating the 77-76 victory.

"Very proud of our team just to hang in there," SMU head coach Andy Enfield said. "Virginia Tech played an outstanding basketball game. We were fortunate to win."

It was an up-and-down night for Miller. He had five points in the first half of his return after missing Saturday's game at Duke with the flu. He missed five free throws in a game for the first time in his college career and was 0-for-5 from the 3-point line through 39 minutes and 59 seconds.

But he still found a way to hit key shots in key moments. None bigger than his game-winner at the buzzer, though.

"I did (know it was going in)," Miller said of the game-winning shot. "I missed too many free throws. So, you know, I knew it was going in. I just felt confident about it, and it went up and went in."

Even though he wasn't 100%, Miller was the key to SMU's success.

"You saw Boopie, he didn't have his legs (Wednesday)," Enfield said. "He just wasn't his normal self, shot a low percentage and then defensively, he wasn't himself. We tried to get him some rest, but second half we just had to keep him in there because we had no chance to win without him. And, of course, he delivered late in the game."

An off night, by his high standards, wasn't going to stop Miller from wanting the ball in his hands with the game on the line. 

"No, I told coach I want that shot, definitely," Miller said. "Just having that confidence for myself. I'm going to keep shooting no matter what, sickness or not. But just believing in myself and my teammates believe in me as well. So, I'm happy I made that shot."

For Miller's halfcourt winner to matter, the Mustangs had to put themselves in position. Virginia Tech hit a 3-pointer to go up by four with 29 seconds left.

SMU would miss a 3-point shot of its own and then foul. Jermaine O'Neal Jr. got a jump ball on the ensuing throw-in, and then Edwards forced a turnover. They still trailed by four with 7.4 seconds left when Edwards would score off the inbounds pass to make it a two-point game.

"It shows like if you're battle tested, things don't go your way, you keep believing in yourself and your team," Miller said. "I feel like you'll come out with the win no matter what. You've just got to believe in yourself at all times."

Virginia Tech would miss the front end of a 1-and-1, get the offensive rebound, but miss the first free throw again. This time, Jaron Pierre Jr. got the rebound and called timeout, setting up Miller's heroics.

The original plan was to try a long throw, but Virginia Tech called a timeout and made a substitution, so the Mustangs adjusted too.

"We knew we were not going to win a jump ball if we threw it long," Enfield said. "So we just said, 'Hey, let's get the ball to Boopie, and we'll ride with that.'"

SMU was coming off back-to-back losses for the first time this season, was missing players, had players who still weren't at full strength and trailed almost the entire second half. Still, it didn't give up.

That's the strength of a Mustangs team that was tested plenty through the nonconference slate and already through the first part of the conference schedule.

"We battle. We've been in a lot of close games, won quite a few close games, couple overtime games," Enfield said. "... Including Virginia Tech, there are a lot of NCAA Tournament-type teams in our league, which is great. I think you see, come to Moody, you're gonna see good college basketball this season in ACC play."

Enfield and Miller know something about winning close games late. It was the fifth time during the Enfield era that the Mustangs have won on a game-winning shot in the final five seconds.

Three of those have been made by Miller — including against Virginia and Cal Baptist last season — and Pierre has one this season against Butler.

"This is an incredible win," Enfield said. "I've had buzzer-beaters go in on the losing end. It's terrible. And we've had a couple buzzer beaters here the last two years. I lost an NCAA tournament game on a buzzer beater. We won an NCAA tournament game on a buzzer-beater, and we're trying to get back to the NCAA tournament to try to win another one of those.

"(Wednesday), that was just an incredible shot by Boopie. And actually, I don't know what you guys thought, but when it was about halfway there, I paused and said, 'Wow, that might go in.' And it sure did."