Jan. 4, 2014

SMU Postgame Notes - Jan. 4, 2014

SMU 74, Connecticut 65

SMU (11-3, 1-1 American), Connecticut (11-3, 0-2 American)

Moody Coliseum (Attendance: 7,166)

Dallas, Texas

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NEXT GAME:

SMU will have a week off before traveling to No. 14/10 Louisville on Sunday, Jan. 12 for a 1 p.m. ET/12 p.m. CT tip (Louisville, Ky. - KFC Yum! Center - 19,200)

Audio: KAAM 770 AM

TV: CBSSN (Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas, Doug Gottlieb)

TEAM NOTES

First game in the renovated Moody Coliseum

- SMU played its previous six home games in the Curtis Culwell Center (6-0)

First SMU sellout since Nov. 20, 2001 vs. Texas Tech (L, 78-75)

The win is SMU's first over a ranked opponent since Dec. 21, 2003 when the Mustangs won at No. 17 Purdue by a count of 60-59.

SMU's victory is its first over a ranked opponent at home since the Mustangs beat No. 25 Houston 70-60 on Jan. 30, 1993.

Yanick Moreira and Nic Moore combined for SMU's first 10 points (five apiece).

Series: SMU leads the series 2-0

- 2-0 in Dallas

Starting Lineup: Shawn Williams, Sterling Brown, Nic Moore, Nick Russell, Yanick Moreira

- Second-consecutive game the group has started

- Third different starting lineup this season

UCONN's DeAndre Daniels scored the first basket in the renovated Moody Coliseum

- Nic Moore scored SMU's first basket on the following possession

Sterling Brown had the first dunk in renovated Moody on a fast break off an assist from Nic Moore to give SMU a 65-56 lead with 2:35 to go.

Held a 28-18 edge in the paint, winning the points in the paint battle in all 14 games

- SMU is averaging 34.9 points in the paint per game

Outrebounded Connecticut 37-29, winning the rebounding margin for the 13th time in 14 games

- Entered the game first in The American in rebounding margin at +9.0

- Entered the weekend 13^th in the nation in rebounding margin

- SMU had 5 offensive rebounds in the first 5 minutes

- The Mustangs had double digit rebounds for the 10^th game this season and the fourth-straight (15 today)

- Fourth time this season with 15+ offensive rebounds

- SMU has outrebounded its opponents 90-49 in the second half of the last four games

SMU has held 18 of its last 23 opponents under 40%, including 12 of 14 this year

The Mustangs held Connecticut to 36.7% from the field (18-49)

- Entered the game first in The American in FG% defense at 35.7%

- Entered the weekend third in the nation in FG% defense

The Mustangs allowed 65 points tonight

- Entered the game second in The American in scoring defense at 61.4 per game

- Entered the weekend 20^th in the nation in scoring defense

SMU shot 47.2% from the field (25-53)

- Entered the game first in The American shooting 50.4%

- Entered the week sixth in the nation in field goal percentage

SMU had 16 assists on 25 field goals (64.0%)

- Entered the game second in The American with 15.8 assists per game

- Entered the week 29^th in the nation in assists per game

The Mustangs shot 7-16 from beyond the arc (43.8%)

- Entered the game second in The American at 41.3% (Connecticut entered the game first in The American)

Larry Brown is:

- 1679-1212 career record (includes NBA, ABA, USA Basketball and NCAA)

- 203-81 in NCAA

- 109-18 in NCAA home games

- 26-20 at SMU (2^nd season)

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

Sterling Brown (#3 - G - 6-6 - Fr.)

- 9 pts, 5 rbs, 3 asts in 23 min

- Career-high 9 points

- Career-high 3 asts

- Career-high 23 min.

- First dunk in renovated Moody with 2:54 to play in the second half

Keith Frazier (#4 - G - 6-5 - Fr.)

- 7 pts, 2 rbs, 2 asts in 14 min.

- Scored 7-consecutive SMU points in the second half between 15:36 and 13:25

Markus Kennedy (#5 - F - 6-9 - So.)

- 10 pts, 8 rbs, 1 blk in 25 min.

- 8^th game in double figures this season

- 5^th straight game in double figures

- Led the team in rebounds for the seventh time this season

- Named to American Athletic Conference Honor Roll last Monday (12/23)

Nic Moore (#11 - G - 5-9 - So.)

- 20 pts, 3 rbs, 6 asts, 1 stl in 35 min.

- Ties a season-high with 20 pts

- 12^th game in double figures this season

- 29^th career game in double figures

- 3^rd 20+ point game this season

- 7^th career 20+ point game

- 8^th time this season he has led SMU in scoring

- Scored SMU's first 5 points in renovated Moody Coliseum

- Entered the game 4^th in The American in assists per game with 4.5

- Entered the game 15^th in The American in scoring with 13.4 points per game

- Made multiple 3PTs in 11 of 14 games

- Made 3+ 3PTs in 7 of 14 games

- Entered the game 2^nd in The American 3PT FG% at 53.3%

- Entered the game 3^rd in The American 3PT FGM at 2.5

- 12^th game this season with 3+ assists

- 7^th game with 5+ assists this season

- 19^th career game with 5+ assists

- Entered the game 6^th in The American assist/turnover ratio at 2.0

- Named to American Athletic Conference Honor Roll three times (11/18, 12/2, 12/9)

Nick Russell (#12 - G - 6-4 - Sr.)

- 14 pts, 7 rbs, 4 asts, 1 stl

- Ties a season-high with 14 pts

- 4^th game in double figures this season

- 34^th career game in double figures

- 8^th game this season with 3+ assists