Kendric Davis scored a game-high 22 points, Marcus and Michael Weathers combined for 37 points and SMU extended its homecourt winning streak to 14 games by rallying for an 85-83 victory over No. 6 Houston in Dallas on Wednesday.
The Mustangs (17-5, 8-2 American) pulled within one game of Houston (20-3, 9-1) atop the conference standings by erasing a 15-point deficit while ending the Cougars’ 12-game win streak. They did so by shooting 52.2 percent (12-for-23) on 3-pointers and holding Houston to 32 points in the second half.
Houston led 68-55 on two Fabian White Jr. free throws with 12:36 remaining before its offense went cold. The Mustangs responded with a 12-1 run while the Cougars missed nine consecutive shots from the field. Marcus Weathers and Michael Weathers hit 3-pointers to fuel the rally, which got SMU within 69-67 with 7:55 left.
Josh Carlton (17 points) scored on consecutive possessions for the Cougars to push their lead back to 75-69. But SMU scored the next seven points, with Marcus Weathers’ second-chance basket giving the Mustangs their first lead at 76-75 with 3:33 remaining. After Carlton and Michael Weathers exchanged layups, Zach Nutall’s 3-pointer put SMU ahead 81-77, and the Mustangs made four free throws down the stretch to hold off the Cougars.
Taze Moore and Kyler Edwards matched Carlton for team-high scoring honors. Jamal Shead scored 14 points and dished out 12 assists.
The Cougars jumped out to an 11-0 lead and made the Mustangs play from behind throughout. SMU closed within 18-15 on Davis’ three-point play, capping an 8-0 run, but Houston replied with a 7-0 burst for a 10-point lead. The Cougars stretched the lead to 44-29 on a basket by Shead and led 51-40 at halftime after going 7-for-11 from 3-point range.
SMU shot 7-for-13 on 3-pointers in the first half against a Houston defense that came in allowing an average of just over six 3-pointers per game.
–Field Level Media
