SMU
UCF
First Half Offense Powers Mustangs Over Knights
Jan 27 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 27, 2010
DALLAS (AP) - Robert Nyakundi scored 18 points and SMU defeated UCF 65-43 in Conference USA play on Wednesday night.
Nyakundi scored 14 of his 18 points in the first half. Derek Williams added a double-double, with 12 points and 10 assists.
Keith Clanton was the only double-digit scorer for the Knights (10-10, 2-4) with 11.
The Mustangs (9-10, 2-3) jumped out to a 26-12 lead over the first 15:43 of the game and closed the half out on a 15-4 run to take a 41-16 lead into the half.
The Mustangs never let the Knights back in the game after halftime as they held at least a 22 point lead the entire second half.
The Mustangs now take a 3-2 advantage in the all-time series, with the home team having won every game.
SMU Postgame Notes - January 27, 2010
Conference USA Game
at SMU 65, UCF 43
SMU Mustangs (9-10, 2-3 C-USA), UCF Knights (10-10, 2-4 C-USA)
Moody Coliseum
Dallas, Texas
NEXT GAME: SMU ends this three-game homestand against defending C-USA Champion Memphis on Saturday, January 30 at Moody Coliseum. Tip is scheduled for 2 p.m. and will be broadcast on Time Warner Cable Metro Sports at 8 p.m. that night. Fans are encouraged to wear red to the game.
TEAM
-Started the game on a 10-0 run that spanned until the 14:36 mark of the first half when P.J. Gaynor made UCF's first bucket.
-43 points allowed are the second-fewest points allowed by SMU in a C-USA game. SMU's previous opponent low came on 2/17/2007 when they beat East Carolina 65-42 at Moody Coliseum.
-UCF's 16 first-half points are the second-fewest points allowed in a half by SMU in a C-USA game. SMU allowed 15 points in the first half at Rice on 3/8/2008, an eventual 61-58 win for the Mustangs.
-The Mustangs are now riding a three game winning streak. The Mustangs have won these three games by an average margin of 14.7 points.
-With 52.5% FG%, this is the fourth straight game of 50+% FG%, and fifth in the last six games.
INDIVIDUAL
Papa Dia
-Scored 10 points, his 13th double figure scoring game of the season and the 31st of his career. He now has scored 10+ points in 10 of his last 12 games.
Justin Haynes
-Tied a career-high with 7 rebounds. He previously had seven rebounds on 12/23/2009 vs. College of Charleston
Robert Nyakundi
-Scored 18 points, giving him 15+ points for the second straight game, the third time this season, and the fourth time in his career.
-This is his fourth double-digit scoring game this season, and 12th of his career.
-Started for the third straight game, and has averaged 17.0 points in those three games.
-Made his first four 3FG, which gave him 11 straight 3FGM over a span of three games.
-His four 3FGM in the first half ties for the most made by an SMU player in a C-USA game
- He has scored 8+ points in each game he has played longer than 15 minutes this season.
Derek Williams
-Registered his first career double-double with 12 points and 10 assists. This is SMU's first points-assists double-double since Bryan Hopkins on 11/24/2002 vs. TCU.
-Set a career high with 10 assists. He is the first SMU player to record 10+ assists game in a game since John Killen on 1/16/2008 vs. Houston.
-His ten assists are the third-most for a SMU player in a C-USA game.
-Now has five or more assists for the fourth straight game. This is the 16th time in his career to have 5+ assists in a game
-Has 26 assists and 8 turnovers in C-USA play, giving him a 3.25 assist-to-turnover ratio in league play
-Scored 10 points, which gave him his 16th double-digit scoring effort of the season and the 36th double-digit scoring effort of his career.
-Has scored 10+ points in his last 12 games, and 15 of his last 16. Williams is the first SMU player since Ike Ofoegbu in 2006-07 to score 10+ points in 12 straight games for the Mustangs.
-Scored 8 or more points in every game this season, and has scored 8+ in 23 straight games, dating back to last season
