[23/RV] SMU 77, Rutgers 65
SMU (20-5, 9-3 American), Rutgers (10-15, 4-8 American)
Rutgers Athletic Center
Piscataway, N.J.
Facebook – /SMUMustangs, /SMUBasketball
Twitter – @SMUMustangs, @SMUBasketball, @LarryBrownSMU, #PonyUp
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NEXT GAME:
SMU will wrap-up a two-game road swing on Sunday, as the Mustangs take on Temple at 1 p.m. CT
Audio: KAAM 770 AM
TV: CBS Sports Network
SERIES:
SMU leads the series 2-0
- SMU is 1-0 in Piscataway
TEAM NOTES
General Notes:
The Mustangs are 15-games over .500 for the first time since SMU was 16-over at 21-5 in the 1999-00 season
SMU reached the 20-win plateau for the 10th time in program history
- First time since SMU was 20-15 in 2010-11
- First 20-win regular season since 1999-00 (21-7 in regular season)
- Eighth 20-win regular season in program history
- SMU has 9 conference wins for the first time since 2004-05
Larry Brown is:
- 1688-1214 career record (34th season: includes NBA, ABA, USA Basketball and NCAA)
- 212-83 in NCAA (9th season)
- 115-18 in NCAA home games
- 35-22 at SMU (2nd season)
- 29-8 at SMU when leading at the half
- 33-1 at SMU when leading with 5 minutes to go
- 23-5 at SMU when scoring 70+ points
- 29-8 at SMU when leading at the half
SMU went on a 14-2 run in 3:21 in the second half to stretch a 41-40 lead to a 49-40 lead (14:08-10:47)
- Kennedy had the first five points of the run, and Nic Moore hit 3 triples to cap the run
Starting Lineup: Shawn Williams, Sterling Brown, Nic Moore, Nick Russell, Markus Kennedy
- 11th-straight game with this starting lineup
- Fourth different starting lineup this season
Outrebounded Rutgers 33-32, winning the rebounding margin for the 21st time in 25 games
- Entered the game first in The American in rebounding margin at +6.8 (18th nationally)
Outscored the Rutgers bench 23-16, the 18th time in 25 games this season (13 times in last 17 games)
- 28.7 bench points per game
Defensive Notes:
The Mustangs held Rutgers to 41.1% from the field (23-56)
- Entered the game 2nd in the nation in FG% defense at 36.7% (1st American)
SMU allowed 65 points today
- Entered the game 2nd in The American in scoring defense at 61.3 per game (17th nationally)
Offensive Notes:
SMU had 14 assists on 24 field goals (58.3%)
- Double-digit assists in 24 of 25 games
- 22nd game with assists on 50% of FGMs (12 of 13)
- Entered the game 2nd in The American with 15.5 assists per game (29th nationally)
SMU shot 49.0% from the field (24-49)
- Entered the game 1st in The American shooting 49.6% (7th nationally)
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Cannen Cunningham (#15 – C – 6-10 – Jr.)
- 10 pts, 8 rbs, 1 ast, 1 blk in 25 min.
- 10 Points
· 4th game in double figures this season (22nd career)
· 10 pts in the first half
- 8 Rebounds
· Season-high in rebounds
- 1 Blocks
· 97 career blocks, 7th at SMU
Markus Kennedy (#5 – F – 6-9 – So.)
- 8 pts, 6 rbs, 2 asts, 2 blks in 17 min.
- 2 Assists
· 10th game this season with multiple assists (7 of 10)
- 2 Blocks
· 11th game this season with multiple blocks (6 of
· Entered the game 8th in The American in blocks with 1.4 per game
- AWARDS: Named to American Athletic Conference Honor Roll three times (12/23, 1/20, 1/27)
Nic Moore (#11 – G – 5-9 – So.)
- 21 pts, 3 rbs, 5 asts in 36 min.
- 21 Points
· 21st game in double figures this season (9 in 10 games) (38th career)
· 6th game with 20+ points (10th career)
· Entered the game 14th in The American in scoring with 13.8 points per game
- 5 3PT FGMS
· Tied a season-high in 3PT FGMs
· 17th game with multiple 3PT FGMs
· 10th game with 3+ 3PT FGMs
· 6th game with 4+ 3PT FGMs
· Made 3-consecutive 3PT-attempts midway through the second half
· Entered the game 3rd in The American in 3PT FG% at 45.4%
· Entered the game 5th in The American 3PT FGM at 2.0
- 5 Assists
· 13th game with 5+ assists this season (25th career)
· 20th game this season with 3+ assists
· Entered the game 4th in The American in assists per game with 4.7
· Entered the game 4th in The American assist/turnover ratio at 2.0
- AWARDS: Named to American Athletic Conference Honor Roll six times (11/18, 12/2, 12/9, 1/6, 2/3, 2/10)
Nick Russell (#12 – G – 6-4 – Sr.)
- 16 pts, 5 rbs, 3 asts, 1 stl in 37 min.
- 16 Points
· Season-high in points
· 9th game in double figures
· 17th game with 8+ points this season
- 3 Assists
· 16th game this season with 3+ assists
