SMU uses explosive first half to rout Georgia Tech

Field Level Media|published: Sat 11th January, 18:42 2025

Jan 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; SMU SMU Mustangs guard Boopie Miller (2) controls the ball under the basket during the first half against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Moody Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Chuck Harris scored a game-high 21 points, helping lead SMU to a 93-71 rout of visiting Georgia Tech on Saturday in Atlantic Coast Conference play in Dallas.

B.J. Edwards added 19 points, six assists and six steals, while Yohan Traore added 13 points and Kario Oquendo netted 12 as the Mustangs (12-4, 3-2) snapped a two-game losing streak.

Matt Cross scored 11 and grabbed seven rebounds for SMU, which shot 50 percent from the field and from beyond the arc, making 14 of its 28 3-point tries. Harris went 4-of-6 from deep and Traore made all three of his attempts.

Javian McCollum led Georgia Tech (8-9, 2-4) with 20 points and Duncan Powell paired 13 points with 11 rebounds. Naithan George collected 11 points and 10 boards and Lance Terry chipped in 10 points as the Yellow Jackets dropped their second straight game.

Jaeden Mustaf's layup on the game's first possession put Georgia Tech ahead 2-0 for the Yellow Jackets' first and only lead. From there, triples from Cross and Harris began an 11-0 SMU run.

After McCollum's 3-pointer cut Georgia Tech's deficit to 18-7, Cross's basket started a 7-0 run, extending the Mustangs' lead to 18 with 13:05 left before halftime.

Powell and Baye Ndongo then each connected on three-point plays to trim SMU's advantage to 12, but Traore's personal 7-0 run jump started a 21-2 spurt, pushing the Mustangs' overwhelming advantage to 46-15 with 4:35 remaining.

After Boopie Miller's layup gave SMU a 33-point advantage - its largest to that point - Ndongo's free throws capped the opening half's scoring and cut the Mustangs' lead to 50-19.

From there, Edwards began the second half with a layup, starting a 9-3 run to extend the Mustangs' lead to 59-22 with 16:45 left.

George's triple with 10:51 remaining cut Georgia Tech's deficit to 28, before Traore's 3-pointer and Cross's three-point play pushed SMU's lead back to 33 points at the 10:03 mark.

After Traore's third 3-pointer put SMU ahead 75-44 with 8:13 remaining, Georgia Tech answered with a 14-6 run, trimming its deficit to 81-58 on Terry's dunk at the 4:15 mark.

Edwards punctuated SMU's win after forcing Georgia Tech's 22nd turnover and taking it coast-to-coast for a dunk that put the Mustangs up 28 with 2:03 left.

--Field Level Media

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