SMU Defeats East Carolina 86-70

Sunday, February 19

Dallas, Texas

2 p.m.

SMU

10-18,5-10AAC

East Carolina

13-13,4-9AAC

Team	1	2	F
East Carolina	28	42	70
SMU	35	51	86

February 19, 2023: East Carolina Pirates vs SMU Mustangs at Moody Coliseum. Photo by Vladimir Cherry

SMU Defeats East Carolina 86-70

Feb 19 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Williamson Scores 20 To Lead Mustangs

Box Score | Postgame Notes
Photo Gallery
Coach Lanier Postgame Radio
Postgame Press Conference

DALLAS (AP) -- Samuell Williamson's 20 points helped SMU defeat East Carolina 86-70 on Sunday.

Williamson also contributed nine rebounds and four steals for the Mustangs (10-18, 5-10 American Athletic Conference). Efe Odigie added 18 points while finishing 8 of 10 from the floor, and he also had nine rebounds. Zhuric Phelps was 5-of-15 shooting, including 3 for 4 from distance, and went 2 for 9 from the line to finish with 15 points, 10 assists five rebounds and three steals.

RJ Felton finished with 27 points and two blocks for the Pirates (13-13, 4-9). Jaden Walker added 18 points, 10 assists and four steals for East Carolina. In addition, Ezra Ausar finished with 11 points, two steals and two blocks.

SMU took the lead with 13:58 remaining in the first half and did not relinquish it. The score was 35-28 at halftime, with Williamson racking up 10 points. SMU outscored East Carolina in the second half by nine points, with Phelps scoring a team-high 10 points in the final half.

SMU's next game is Saturday against South Florida on the road.

SMU Postgame Notes – February 19, 2023

SMU 86, ECU 70
SMU (10-18, 5-10 American), ECU (13-13, 4-9 American)
David B. Miller Court at Moody Coliseum – Dallas, Texas

NEXT GAME

At USF – Saturday, February 25 – 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT – Yuengling Center – Tampa, Florida
TV: ESPN+
Radio: KAAM 770 AM | Audio Streaming: SMU App (Google Play | Apple App Store)

NOTES

SMU has won 3 of its past 4 home games
- Outscored ECU 51-42 in the 2^nd half
- Led 35-28 at halftime – Samuell Williamson had a put-back layup at the halftime buzzer
Starters: #1 Zhuric Phelps (G, So.), #2 Jalen Smith (G, So.), #10 Zach Nutall (G, Sr.), #11 Samuell Williamson (F, Sr.), #23 Efe Odigie (F, Sr.)
- 16^th game with this lineup, including 10 of past 11 games
SMU had 5 score in double figures: Zach Nutall (11), Efe Odigie (18), Zhuric Phelps (15), Jalen Smith (10), Samuell Williamson (20 - season high)
- All five starters in double figures - 5^th times with five in double figures
- 11^th time at least four scoring in double figures, 3^rd straight and 10 of the past 17 games
- Zach Nutall has 10+ in 5 of the past 6 games
- Efe Odigie has scored 10+ in 12 of the past 14 games
- Samuell Williamson has scored 10+ in 5 straight games
- Zhuric Phelps has 10+ in 23 of his 26 games this season
- Jalen Smith 4^th game in double figures
Zhuric Phelps had his first career double-double with 15 points and a career-high 10 assists
SMU shot 50.8% for the game and hit 58.1% in the second half
- 5^th time shooting 50% or better this season
SMU tied a season high with 12 steals
- At least 8 steals in 9 of the past 12 games
- 5^th AAC game with 10+ steals
- Emory Lanier (2 – tied career high), Zhuric Phelps (3), Samuell Williamson (4 - career high)
SMU had 18 assists on 32 made FGs
- Zach Nutall (6), Zhuric Phelps (10 - career high)
SMU outscored ECU 48-34 in the paint
- 5^th straight game with an advantage in the paint
SMU outrebounded ECU 42-29
- 3^rd game this season +10 or better
- Efe Odigie (9), Samuell Williamson (9)

ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUAL NOTES

Zach Nutall (#10, Sr., G)

11 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocked shots (tied career high), 1 steal
- Entered game averaging 13.4 points (16^th AAC)
- 21^st time scoring 10+ this season
- 14^th game this season with 3+ assists

Efe Odigie (#23, Sr., F)

18 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block
- Entered game averaging 11.1 points and 6.8 rebounds (8^th AAC)
- 16^th game this season with 10+ points – 4 straight and 12 of the past 14 games
- 14^th game this season with 8+ rebounds
8-10 on FGs, entered game shooting 48.1% (12^th AAC)

Zhuric Phelps (#1, So., G) – AAC Player of the Week on Dec. 26, AAC Weekly Honor Roll on Nov. 28, Feb. 13

15 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists (career high), 3 steals
- Entered game averaging 17.6 points (5^th AAC), 3.0 assists (15^th AAC), 2.3 steals (2^nd AAC, 15^th NCAA)
- 23^rd game this season scoring 10+, 20^th game scoring 15+
- 11^th game this season with at least 5 rebounds
- 15^th game this season with multiple steals, has ___37___ in past 12 games
- 16^th game this season with 3+ assists, had at least 5 assists in 4 straight and 6 of the past 9 games
- 3-4 on 3FGs, has made multiple threes in 8 of the past 10 games

Jalen Smith (#2, So., G)

10 points, 3 rebounds
- 4^th game this season scoring 10+

Samuell Williamson (#11, Sr., F) – AAC Weekly Honor Roll on Jan. 2

20 points (season high), 9 rebounds, 4 steals (career high)
- Entered game averaging 8.7 points, 7.3 rebounds (5^th AAC), 1.3 steals (10^th AAC), 0.8 blocks (11^th AAC)
- 13^th game this season scoring 10+, 5^th straight

12^th game this season with multiple steals
15^th game this season with 7+ rebounds
9-10 FGs

INDIVIDUAL SEASON RECORDS

SMU Season Steals
                1              79           Gerald Lewis (Sr.), 1992-93
                2              77           Carl Wright (So.), 1983-84
                3              76           Carl Wright (Jr.), 1984-85
                4              67           Willie Davis (Jr.), 1999-00
                5              63           Gerald Lewis (Jr.), 1991-92
                6              61           Bryan Hopkins (Fr.), 2002-03
                                61           Carlton McKinney (Sr.), 1987-88
                8              60           Jeryl Sasser (So.), 1998-99
                                60           Jimmy Whitt (So.), 2017-18
                                60           Zhuric Phelps (So.), 2022-23
                11           59           Bryan Hopkins (Jr.), 2004-05
                12           58           Kato Armstrong (Jr.), 1987-88
                13           57           Markus Kennedy (So.), 2013-14

INDIVIDUAL CAREER RECORDS

SMU Career 3FG Made
                1              273         Stephen Woods, 1996-00
                2              267         Robert Nyakundi, 2008-12
                3              256         Bryan Hopkins, 2002-06
                4              225         Nic Moore, 2013-16
                5              220         Troy Matthews, 1993-97
                6              190         Shake Milton, 2015-18
                7              170         Quinton Ross, 1999-03
                8              163         Jahmal McMurray, 2017-19
                9              161         Chad Allen, 1990-94
                10           133         Jeryl Sasser, 1997-01
                11           131         Mike Walker, 2007-11
                12           130         Kendric Davis, 2019-22
                13           128         Sterling Brown, 2013-17
                14           121         Jemeil Rich, 1994-97
                                121         Emmanuel Bandoumel, 2019-22
                16           120         Ethan Chargois, 2017-21
                17           119         Jon Killen, 2004-08
                18           113         Isiaha Mike, 2018-20
                19           107         Damon Hancock, 1998-02
                20           105         Ben Emelogu, 2014-18
                21           104         Zach Nutall, 2021-23