vs. 
<I>December 2, 2000</I>
<B>Mustangs overwhelm Tulane, 87-58, remain undefeated</B>
The SMU men's basketball team employed a smothering defense -- especially in the first half -- as the Mustangs pounded Tulane, 87-58, at Moody Coliseum Saturday afternoon. The Ponies' defense was so overwhelming that the Green Wave mustered just 18 points before the intermission.
On the other end of the floor, junior guard Damon Hancock scored 21 points to lead the offense as SMU improved to 3-0.
"We played a really good first half," SMU head coach Mike Dement said. "We haven't always started fast, and I think maybe we stunned them by making a lot of shots early."
The statistics were lopsided in favor of SMU in just about every category in the first half, and the Ponies' dominance showed as the Mustangs jumped out to a 44-18 lead at halftime.
"That may have been the best half of defense that we've played since I've been here," Hancock said.
As dominant as the Mustangs were, they were far from full-strength. Center Jon Forinash remains out with a foot injury, although Dement said his junior center should be cleared to resume working out soon and could return to the lineup after the Mustangs' road trip to Tennessee Dec. 7 and Navy Dec. 9. He could return in the Ponies' next game, at home against Houston Dec. 17. SMU also was without forward DeWayne Floyd, who was serving the second game of his two-game suspension for making contact with an official last week when SMU beat Lamar. In addition, SMU star jeryl Sasser was hampered by a heavily-bandaged left (non-shooting) thumb that he injured in last week's win at New Mexico State.
Quinton Ross had 18 points, Sasser had 11 and senior forward Willie Davis had 10. But it clearly was Hancock who drove the Mustangs' offense.
"That was nothing unexpected," Sasser said of Hancock. "Damon is a very talented player -- he averaged a triple double in high school. I've been playing with him for 11 years, so I knew he could do this all along."
SMU now hosts Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 7:30 Monday night, followed by its first big test of the season when the Mustangs visit national power Tennessee Thursday night.
For a video clip of Quinton Ross on a breakaway play, click the link below. <A HREF="http://www.ponyfans.com/q.mpg" TARGET=_blank>http://www.ponyfans.com/q.mpg</A>
[This message has been edited by MustangMatt (edited 12-04-2000).]
