Nov. 21, 2008
Box Score 
DALLAS -- Papa Dia scored 17 points to lead SMU to a 79-60 win over Houston Baptist on Friday night in the Tip-Off Classic. Dia was 8 of 12 from the field and pulled down nine rebounds. Derek Williams added 15 points and Paul McCoy had 11 for the Mustangs (1-1).
led the effort that saw the Mustangs finish with a 32-14 advantage on points in the paint. Bamba Fall has seven points and eight rebounds in the middle and Frank Otis scored four points as a forward.
SMU totaled 11 steals and had 13 assists against 11 turnovers. McCoy, Dia, Otis, and Ryan Harp each had two steals. In total, the Mustangs forced 19 turnovers for the Huskies and finished with a 20-2 lead in points off turnovers.
Gordon Watt had a double-double for Houston Baptist, with 16 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Baron Sauls had 15 points and Sean Morris scored 10 for the Huskies (0-3).
The Mustangs opened up a 40-32 lead at the break when Williams hit a three-pointer at the buzzer. SMU then went on a 25-12 run in the first 10 minutes of the second half. SMU hit 7-of-14 3-pointers during the second half. Williams was 3-of-4 from long range for the game with McCoy hitting 3-of-5 from long range and Alex Malone went 2-of-4 to finish with six points.
The Mustangs shot 49 percent from the field for the game. The Huskies shot 35 percent, including a dismal 8-of-28 shots, or 29 percent, during the second half.
The Mustangs host Alabama State in the second day of the SMU Tip-Off Classic on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Illinois State faces Houston Baptist in the early game at 5 p.m.
