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SMU knocks off Connecticut, 80-73

Postby PonyPride » Thu Mar 08, 2018 11:40 pm

From SMUMustangs.com:

SMU Advances To American Championship Quarterfinals With 80-73 Win Over UConn
By Dylan Edwards, SMUMustangs.com

ORLANDO, Fla. (SMU) - Akoy Agau provided the best performance of his Mustang career, while Ben Emelogu II and Jahmal McMurray each were vital offensively as SMU advanced at the AAC Championship, knocking off UConn, 80-73, on Thursday.

Agau finished with a career-high 21 points on exceptional 7-of-8 shooting to give the Mustangs a steady offensive threat in both halves. The senior was the only player on either team to score double-digits in both halves.

Emelogu scored a team-high 23 points, including knocking down four shots from 3-point range. The four 3s were the most by the senior since December, as he looked much more like himself from earlier in the season when he was healthy. Emelogu once again showed great energy to lead the Mustangs with eight rebounds as a guard.

McMurray, who's been the most consistent scorer in absence of leading scorer Shake Milton, once again delivered, scoring 19 points. The big games by Agau and Emelogu allowed McMurray to be a little more selective with his shots, leading to an efficient 8-of-14 night.

SMU used hot shooting from Emelogu and McMurray to build a lead in the first half with each hitting two-apiece. As a team, the Mustangs buried 7-of-13 shots from 3-point range in the first 20 minutes. On top of that, Agau scored 10 first-half points and was a perfect 3-for-3 from the floor. The result was 42 first-half points, the most in a game without Milton, and a 19-point halftime lead.

UConn didn't go quietly, cutting the lead to single-digits before the first stoppage of the second half. However, the Mustangs had an answer. McMurray and Emelogu combined to score 13 of SMU's next 16 points, and the lead was extended a game-high 21 points at the 11:42 mark.

The Huskies kept pushing down the stretch, but the Mustangs' lead was too much to overcome. SMU knocked down eight big free-throws over the final minute of play to close out the Huskies. The Mustangs were good at the line for the entire contest, hitting nearly 80 percent of their 23 shots.

The Mustangs now have won seven-straight conference tournament games and face No. 1 seed Cincinnati tomorrow at 11 a.m. CT.
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Re: SMU knocks off Connecticut, 80-73

Postby PonyPride » Thu Mar 08, 2018 11:40 pm

SMU Postgame Notes – March 8, 2018
No.9-seed SMU 80 (17-15), No. 8-seed Connecticut 73 (14-18)
Amway Center – Orlando, Fla.

NEXT GAME
vs. No. 1-seed Cincinnati – Fri., March 9, 2018 – 12 p.m. ET/11 a.m. CT
TV: ESPNU | Radio: KAAM 770 AM // TuneIn App
Amway Center – Orlando, Fla.

SMU NOTES
SMU Starting Five: Jahmal McMurray (0), Elijah Landrum (20), Ben Emelogu II (21), Akoy Agau(23), Jimmy Whitt (31)
Seven scholarship players available | SMU INJURIES: Shake Milton (Right hand), Jarrey Foster (Knee)*, Everett Ray (Foot)* *Out for season

Seventh straight win at the American Athletic Conference Tournament
2015: #1 [20/21] SMU 74, #8 East Carolina 68 Quarterfinal
#1 [20/21] SMU 69, #4 Temple 56 Semifinal
#1 [20/21] SMU 62, #6 Connecticut 54 Final
2017: #1 [12/15] SMU 81, #9 East Carolina 77 Quarterfinal
#1 [12/15] SMU 70, #4 UCF 59 Semifinal
#1 [12/15] SMU 71, #2 Cincinnati 56 Final
2018: #9 SMU 80, #8 Connecticut 73 First Round

SMU has won 43 of last 60 games dating back to 2016-17

SMU is 99-32 overall since the 2014-15 season

Head Coach Tim Jankovich:
· 213-141 as NCAA head coach | SMU is 56-20 under Tim Jankovich as head coach
· SMU is 4-0 under Jankovich in AAC Tournament games as head coach (Won title in 2016-17)

SERIES NOTES
SMU is 9-3+ all-time against Connecticut (+7-3 officially)
· 2-0 all-time in the AAC conference tournament (Won 62-54 in 2014-15 championship game to claim AAC title)

OFFENSIVE NOTES
SMU had three score in double figures (Ben Emelogu II 23, Akoy Agau 21, Jahmal McMurray 19)
· Career-high 21 for Akoy Agau

17 points off 14 UConn turnovers

DEFENSIVE NOTES
Forced 14 turnovers
· 7 SMU steals

SMU held Connecticut to 23 points in the first half

SMU INDIVIDUAL NOTES
#23 Akoy Agau, Sr. F (21 pts, 3 rebs, 3 ast, 1 blk)
· Scored 21 points (7-8 FG, 7-8 FT)
o Career-high

#21 Ben Emelogu II, Sr. G (23 pts, 8 rebs, 2 blks, 1 ast)
· Scored 23 points ()
o One point shy of tying career-high
o 20+ points in 3 games in 201-18; 10+ in 17

#0 Jahmal McMurray, Jr. G (19 pts, 2 rebs., 3 ast)
· Scored 19 points (8-14 FG, 3-7 3FG)
o 10+ points in 14 of 21 games
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