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FORT WORTH, Texas – No. 7 seed UCF defeated No. 10 seed SMU, 76-70, in the second game of the 2023 American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Championship Thursday, March 9 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

With the win, the Knights (18-13) will face No. 2 Memphis in the quarterfinals on Friday, March 10 at 7 p.m. ET/6 CT on ESPNU.

UCF used 61.5 percent shooting in the second half (16-26) to surge from behind for victory. SMU (10-22) led by eight with 13:12 remaining, but the Knights scored the next 12 points over the two and a half minutes to take a 4-point lead.

SMU battled back and took a 1-point lead on a 3-point play by Zhurich Phelps, but an Ithiel Horton jumper on the next possession started an 11-4 UCF run to close out the game.

CJ Kelly led the Knights with 21 points, while Horton and Taylor Hendricks each contributed 15 points.

Phelps had 21 points to lead SMU.
 

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SMU Postgame Notes – March 9, 2023

• American Athletic Conference Championship – First Round
• No. 7 UCF 76, No. 10 SMU 70
• UCF (18-13, 8-10 American), SMU (10-22, 5-13 American)
• Dickies Arena – Fort Worth, Texas

 
NOTES 

• 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.)
  • 19^th game with this lineup, including 13 of past 15 games
• Samuell Williamson had 10 points and 11 rebounds for his 6^th double-double of the season (11^th of his career)
• SMU had 4 score in double figures: Zach Nutall (12), Efe Odigie (10), Zhuric Phelps (21), Samuell Williamson (10)
  • 13^th time this season with at least four scoring in double figures, 12 of the past 21 games
  • Zach Nutall entered the game averaging 13.2 (18^th AAC), has 10+ in 8 of the past 10 games
  • Efe Odigie entered game averaging 11.4, has 10+ in 7 of the past 8 games
  • Zhuric Phelps entered game averaging 17.3 (5^th AAC), has 10+ in 27 of his 30 games, 17^th game with 19+ points
  • Samuell Williamson entered the game averaging 9.3, has scored 10+ in 8 of the past 9 games
• SMU outscored UCF 38-32 in the paint – outscored opponents in 8 of the past 9 games
• SMU outrebounded UCF 36-31
  • Efe Odigie (7), Samuell Williamson (11)
• SMU had 19 assists on 26 made field goals
  • Zhuric Phelps (7 - 5+ in 7 of past 13 games), Jalen Smith (5)

 
SMU RUNS

• Opened the game 9-2 in the first 3:22
• 10-0 run from 11:32 to 9:04 to take a 24-11 lead

 
ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUAL NOTES
 
Zach Nutall (#10, Sr., G)

• 12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
  • Entered game averaging 13.2 points (18^th AAC), 24^th game scoring 10+ this season
  • 9^th game this season with multiple steals
• 3-3 on FTs, entered game shooting 75.8%
• 3-4 on 3FGs, entered game averaging 1.9 made per game (12^th AAC)

 
Efe Odigie (#23, Sr., F)

• 10 points, 7 rebounds
  • Entered game averaging 11.4 points and 6.9 rebounds (8^th AAC)
  • 19^th game this season scoring 10+
• 4-4 on FTs, entered game shooting 76.9% (14^th AAC)

 
Zhuric Phelps (#1, So., G) – AAC Player of the Week on Dec. 26, AAC Weekly Honor Roll on Nov. 28, Feb. 13, Feb. 20

• 21 points, 7 assists, 3 steals
  • Entered game averaging 17.3 points (5^th AAC), 3.1 assists (13^th AAC), 2.2 steals (1^st AAC, 17^th NCAA)
  • 27^th game this season scoring 10+, 23^rd game with 15+, 12^th game with 20+
  • 17^th game this season with multiple steals
  • 8^th game this season with at least 5 assists, including 7 of past 13 games

 
Jalen Smith (#2, So., G)

• 7 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal
  • 14^th game this season with 3+ assists

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

• 10 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists
  • Entered game averaging 9.3 points, 7.2 rebounds (6^th AAC), 1.5 steals (8^th AAC), 0.8 blocks (12^th AAC)
  • 6^th double-double of the season, 11^th of his career
  • 16^th game this season scoring 10+, including 8 of the past 9

• 17^th game this season with 7+ rebounds

 
Ricardo Wright (#5, Jr., G)

• 6 points, 2-3 3FGs (6-15 in past 5 games)

 
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
                                113         Zach Nutall, 2021-23
 
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              68           Zhuric Phelps (So.), 2022-23
                5              67           Willie Davis (Jr.), 1999-00
 
American Athletic Conference - Season Steals (Games)
                1              101         Laquincy Rideau, USF, 2018-19 (35)
                2              79           Jeremiah Martin, Memphis, 2018-19 (36)
                3              78           Christian Vital, UConn, 2019-20 (31)
                4              77           Laquincy Rideau, USF, 2019-20 (31)
                5              76           David Collins, USF, 2018-19 (36)
                6              74           Russ Smith, Louisville, 2013-14 (37)
                7              73           hris Jones, Louisville, 2013-14 (33)
                                                Shabazz Napier, UConn, 2013-14 (40)
                9              71           Quinton Rose, Temple, 2018-19 (33)
                10           68           Zhuric Phelps, SMU, 2022-23
                11           67           Shaquille Harrison, Tulsa, 2014-15 (34)
                                                Will Cummings, Temple, 2014-15 (36)
 
SMU Season Points (GP)
                1              737         Gene Phillips (Sr.), 1970-71 (26)
                2              685         Gene Phillips (Jr.), 1969-70 (24)
                3              665         Semi Ojeleye (Jr.), 2016-17 (35)
                4              639         Papa Dia (Sr.), 2010-11 (35)
                5              634         Ira Terrell (Sr.), 1975-76 (28)
                6              624         Jim Krebs (Sr.), 1956-57 (26)
                7              622         Kendric Davis (Sr.), 2021-22 (32)
                8              608         Quinton Ross (Sr.), 2002-03 (30)
                9              597         Ira Terrell (So.), 1973-74 (27)
                10           580         Jahmal McMurray (Sr.), 2018-19 (32)
                11           574         Jim Krebs (Jr.), 1955-56 (30)
                12           572         Damon Hancock (Sr.), 2001-02 (29)
                13           566         Jon Koncak (Sr.), 1984-85 (33)
                14           565         Kato Armstrong (Jr.), 1987-88 (35)
                15           562         Jeryl Sasser (So.), 1998-99 (30)
                16           561         Carlton McKinney (Sr.), 1987-88 (35)
                17           555         Jim Krebs (So.), 1954-55 (26)
                18           543         Mike Wilson (Sr.), 1992-93 (28)
                19           540         Kevin Lewis (Sr.), 1985-86 (29)
                20           537         Sammy Hervey (Jr.), 1972-73 (25)
                21           530         Mike Wilson (So.), 1990-91 (29)
                22           529         Carl Wright (Jr.), 1984-85 (33)
                23           524         Zhuric Phelps, 2022-23
 
D-I ACTIVE CAREER LEADERS
 
Zach Nutall now has

• 1863 points (entered game 38^th among D-I active career leaders)
• 616 rebounds (entered game 189^th among D-I active career leaders)
• 146 steals (entered game 142^nd among D-I active career leaders)
• 277 assists (entered game 248^th among D-I active career leaders)
• 256 3FGs made (entered game 59^th among D-I active career leaders)
• 156 games played (entered game 33^rd among D-I active career leaders)

 
Efe Odigie now has

• 1272 points (entered game 282^nd among D-I active career leaders)
• 822 rebounds (entered game 56^th among D-I active career leaders)
• 129 games played (entered game 294^th among D-I active career leaders)

 
Samuell Williamson now has
566 rebounds (entered game 259^th among D-I active career leaders)