SMU
Rice (TV: Metro Sports)
Mustangs Hold Off Rice, 69-66
Feb 21 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 21, 2009
DALLAS (AP)--Robert Nyakundi hit a jump shot, and Mike Walker added two free throws with two seconds to play as SMU held on for a 69-66 victory over Rice on Saturday night.
Cory Pflieger missed a 3-pointer for Rice as time expired.
Nyakundi and Walker each scored 14 points for SMU (8-17, 2-10 Conference USA). Nyakundi was 4-of-5 from 3-point range and Walker was 4-for-6 from behind the arc. Paul McCoy scored 13 and Bamba Fall had 10 points and 12 rebounds. For Fall, it was his third double-double of the season and sixth of his career. The Mustangs had four players score in double figures for the seventh time this season and is 5-2 in those games.
SMU won the battle on the boards as well 39-31 with 14 offensive rebounds. This was the eighth time in 12 league contests SMU outrebounded its opponent. Fall led with 12 and Nyakundi had six boards. Dia, McCoy, and Frank Otis had four rebounds each.
Rodney Foster scored 18 for Rice (8-18, 3-9). Connor Frizzelle scored 14, and Aleks Perka got 10.
Mouhammad Faye hit two free throws to give the Mustangs a 35-19 lead with 5:35 left in the first half. Rice closed within 38-28 at the half and eventually tied the game at 50 with 11:35 to play. After Rice held a 64-62 lead with 3:33 to play, SMU finished with a 7-2 run.
The Mustangs are at UTEP on Wednesday at 8 p.m. CT.
