SMU gets 7 scorers in double figures, crushes Alabama State

Kario Oquendo poured in a season-high 20 points to lead seven SMU scorers in double figures as the Mustangs blasted Alabama State 101-72 on Tuesday in Dallas.

The Mustangs (7-2) led by 10 points at halftime but tripled that advantage over the first nine-plus minutes of the second half. SMU outshot the Hornets 47.8 percent to 34.8 percent from the field and earned massive edges in rebounds (56-34), points in the paint (44-10) and fastbreak points (29-6), the latter despite forcing only eight turnovers.

Matt Cross added 12 points and 10 rebounds for SMU, which won its third straight game. Samet Yigitoglu and Chuck Harris scored 12 points apiece, Yohan Traore and B.J. Edwards each had 11 and Jerrell Colbert hit for 10.

Amarr Knox led Alabama State (3-5) with 17 points, while Shawn Fulcher added 12.

The teams traded blows in the game's opening minutes before Alabama State took its largest lead of the game, 18-14, after a 3-pointer by Tyler Mack at the 13:55 mark of the first half. The Mustangs leapfrogged to the front via an 11-0 run that featured back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers from Oquendo, Cross and Harris.

SMU built its advantage to double digits for the first time at 44-34 when Edwards hit a layup with 3:18 left in the first half. The Mustangs eventually led by 13 after a three-point play by Oquendo that was answered by a 3-pointer from Fulcher that cut SMU's lead to 49-39 at the break.

Harris and Oquendo led the Mustangs with 10 points apiece before halftime as SMU outshot the Hornets 48.6 percent to 33.3 percent overall ahead of intermission. Knox paced Alabama State with nine points over the first 20 minutes of action.

SMU pushed the margin to 21 points just over four minutes into the second half after Yigitoglu had a dunk and a putback layup on consecutive possessions. The lead grew to 81-51 when Oquendo sank a 3-pointer with 10:21 remaining, and the Mustangs cruised to the finish line.

--Field Level Media