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SMU 90, Ark.-Pine Bluff 50 (PonyFans.com game story)

Postby PonyPride » Tue Dec 05, 2000 3:07 am

Image vs Image

<I>December 5, 2000</I>

<B>SMU 90, Ark.-Pine Bluff 50</B>

Any time a team faces a big game, the most important thing that team can do is practice. With its big game at No. 6 Tennessee coming up Thursday in Knoxville, the SMU men’s basketball team got in some much-needed practice Monday night -- against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The Mustangs, ranked No. 20 in this week’s Sagarin ratings, blew out the Golden Lions (0-6 and ranked No. 324 in the Sagarin ratings, ahead of only avannah State), 90-50, Monday at Moody Coliseum.

Five Mustangs scored in double figures for the Mustangs, led by junior guard Damon Hancock, who tallied 18 points. Forward Willie Davis added 16, while forwards Jibran Kelley and DeWayne Floyd had 14 points apiece.

Head coach Mike Dement said after the game that he was glad to have a game against an opponent like Pine Bluff, against which he could rest many of his starters, including star guard Jeryl Sasser, who sat out the game with a sprained thumb.

“I’m glad we had a game like this,” Dement said. “We’ve played some fairly tough games early this season. A lot of teams have played a bunch of games like this early on, so I’m glad we were able to rest some people before we head up to Tennessee.”

In the Volunteers, the Mustangs will face one of the biggest, most athletic teams in the nation. SMU will have its work cut out, with center Jon Forinash still out with a foot injury and center Nigel Smith still playing his way back into shape after missing all of last season with a series of sinus operations. The Ponies’ inside game suffered a further setback Saturday against Tulane when burly forward/center Mike Niemi suffered a sprained thumb, although he and Sasser are expected to play against the Vols. Tennessee has a very quick front court, which Dement said the Mustangs may counter by playing some zone defense, but UT guard Tony Harris has the ability to drain knee-busting three-pointers.

Kelley, whose 14 points were a career-high, said the key Thursday will be the same against the Volunteers as it was Monday against Pine Bluff.

“Every game is important, no matter who you’re playing,” Kelley said. “We just have to stay focused on what we do and execute. We’re in a situation where it seems like everyone’s hurt, and we needed the guys who weren’t hurt to step up their games -- and they did. We’re going to need that again against Tennessee.”

Check out the three new videos PonyFans.com has brought to you from the SMU vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff game:

<B>The first is Damon Hancock hitting a three pointer.</B> <A HREF="http://www.ponyfans.com/videos/hancock.mpg" TARGET=_blank>http://www.ponyfans.com/videos/hancock.mpg</A>

<B>Next is a great pass from Damon Hancock to Jibran Kelley for the score, but watch Damon's pass!</B> <A HREF="http://www.ponyfans.com/videos/jibran.mpg" TARGET=_blank>http://www.ponyfans.com/videos/jibran.mpg</A>

<B>And last is a dunk by Willie Davis!</B> <A HREF="http://www.ponyfans.com/videos/Willie.mpg" TARGET=_blank>http://www.ponyfans.com/videos/Willie.mpg</A>

Special thanks to PonyFans.com correspondent, Jimmy Hinton.


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[This message has been edited by PonyPride (edited 12-05-2000).]
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Re: SMU 90, Ark.-Pine Bluff 50 (PonyFans.com game story)

Postby Bballer » Tue Dec 05, 2000 3:46 am

Nice story, this game was like a practice, as you said.
The videos are awesome. What a great feature! I love the Hancock pass to Kelley, but it was even more spectacular live.

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