Mustangs Roll Over Houston 94-80
Nov 27 | Men's Basketball
Jeryl Sasser (24 points and a career-high 18 rebounds) and Willie Davis (20 points, 12 rebounds) each recorded a double-double in leading SMU to a solid 94-80 win in Houston's home opener Saturday afternoon. The Mustangs improved to 3-0, while Houston dropped to 2-2.
"It was a good win," said SMU head coach Mike Dement. "What I liked is that we played two good halves. I knew this would be a physical game and we had to adjust to that."
Sasser and Davis each recorded a double-double in the same game for the second time in three contests this season. Although SMU scored its most points vs. Houston since a 98-76 win in 1988, the Ponies' defense set the tone. SMU limited Houston to .382 (29-76) from the field and .174 (4-23) from three-point range.
SMU opened the game on an 8-0 run and closed the first half with a 43-35 lead despite five lead changes. After the Cougars led 30-29 with 5:24 remaining in the first half, Davis registered a steal and went end-to-end for a layup to give SMU a lead it would not relinquish. The Cougars got no closer than eight points the remainder of the game.
SMU's offense was balanced again with five players reaching at least 10 points. In addition to Sasser and Davis, Quinton Ross (17), Stephen Woods (15) and Damon Hancock (14) each scored in double figures. Ross left the game late with a cut over his eye that required nine stitches.
The 14-point win was SMU's biggest on the road since defeating Stephen F. Austin, 84-64, last December.
SMU faces Arkansas-Pine Bluff Monday, November 29 at Moody Coliseum. Tip-off is set for 7:35 PM.
