GAME THREAD: men's basketball vs. UAB

[PonyPride]

Blazers are 14-7/6-2 (fourth in AAC)
Mustangs are 14-7/5-3 (fifth in AAC)

[PonyPride]

UAB starters
G 4 Eric Gaines
G 10 Alejandro Vasquez
G 24 Efrem Johnson
F 0 Javian Davis
F 3 Yaxel Lendeborg

SMU starters
G 0 BJ Edwards
G 1 Zhuric Phelps
G 3 Chuck Harris
F 10 Samuell Williamson
F 12 Tyreek Smith

[Charleston Pony]

Really important game for SMU to do it's part in not allowing the newcomers from CUSA to be dominating the to of the American basketball standings. I like Tyreek getting the start and Ambrose-Hylton coming off the bench, especially with them virtually sharing minutes

[PonyPride]

Mustangs & Blazers among AAC leaders

Points per game
13. Zhuric Phelps (SMU): 14.57

FG percentage
3. Keon Ambrose-Hylton (SMU): .648
5. Tyreek Smith (SMU): .621
7. Javian Davis (UAB): .571

Rebounds per game
2. Yaxel Lendeborg (UAB): 9.38
7. Samuell Williamson (SMU): 7.43
13. Javian Davis (UAB): 6.52
17. Tyreek Smith (SMU): 6.05

Assists per game
4. Eric Gaines (UAB): 4.86
11. BJ Edwards (SMU): 3.43
13. Chuck Harris (SMU): 3.38

3-point FG percentage
4. Chuck Harris (SMU): .423
10. Efrem Johnson (UAB): .381
20-T. Daniel Ortiz (UAB): 340

Steals per game
1. Eric Gaines (UAB): 2.48
3. Zhuric Phelps (SMU): 2.05

[PonyPride]

Ponies driving to rim — Phelps draws foul on UAB's Eric Gaines, hits 1 of 2 ... tumbles into UAB bench chasing rebound.

UAB leads 4-3

[PonyPride]

FG percentage

UAB: 50 (4/8)
SMU: 28.6 (2/7)

[PonyPride]

Nice patience by Chuck Harris: gets the ball in the paint, waits for a pair of UAB defenders to cruise past him, drops in a short J

UAB 8-7

[PonyPride]

Mustangs will have to contend with big UAB frontcourt. Blazers have three players (Coleman, Davis, Lendeborg) listed at 6-9, but all three look taller when standing next to SMU's Keon Ambrose-Hylton, who also is listed at 6-9.

[PonyPride]

Harris cans a pair of FTs to give SMU its first lead: 9-8

[PonyPride]

Officials are off to a nice start:

SMU's Jalen Smith gets hit in the arm and the head en route to the rim — no call
Then UAB's Christian Coleman takes at least 4 steps — no traveling call

[PonyPride]

Wright 3 stretches SMU lead to 12-8

[Charleston Pony]

Both teams shooting poorly and playing stingy defense. SMU 4-16 and 1-6 from three

[PonyPride]

12-11 SMU

UAB's Javian Davis and Eric Gaines, and SMU's Chuck Harris, lead all scourers with 4 points each

[PonyPride]

Both teams shooting poorly and playing stingy defense

FG%
UAB: 42 (5/12)
SMU: 25 (4/16)

3-point FG%
UAB: 25 (1/4)
SMU: 13 (1/8)

[PonyPride]

Williamson drains a nice running baby hook after missing his first three FG attempts

SMU back ahead, 14-13