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DALLAS (SMU) – In each of the first two games of the season, it took the Mustangs into the second half to close the game out. On Wednesday night against Northwestern State, SMU (3-0) worked far more quickly, building a 28-point first half lead on its way to an 81-35 victory.

The Mustangs closed the first half on a 26-2 run to build a huge lead into halftime, stifling the Demons on the defensive end. Northwestern State managed only three field goals in the first half on 14 percent shooting. SMU went over 17 minutes without allowing the Demons a field goal.

"Our big deal going in was putting two halves together of really good, solid defense," head coach Tim Jankovich said. "We'd played two great halves in our first two games. In this one, we played tremendously defensively the entire game. That was our main focus."

The trio of Jarrey Foster, Ben Emelogu II and Shake Milton combined for 52 of the Mustangs' 81 points to lead the way in the blowout win. Foster led the way with 19 points, while Emelogu II and Milton accounted for 17 and 16, respectively. Emelogu II led the Mustangs in rebounds with a career-high nine as well. Freshman Ethan Chargois provided another solid outing for SMU, dropping in 10 points of his own and grabbing seven boards.

SMU held Northwestern State to just 24 percent shooting from the field for the game and 15 percent from behind the arc while forcing 21 turnovers. The 46-point win was the Mustangs' largest margin of victory since 2015.

SMU is now 28-0 at Moody Coliseum under Jankovich, tying the second-best home start by a head coach in NCAA history.

The Mustangs are back at home on Saturday at 7 p.m., hosting UAPB. It's the last home game before SMU heads to the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis.