NEW YORK CITY – SMU and Michigan extended their streak of nonconference matchups to three straight years. SMU’s streak of convincing wins over Michigan did not extend to a third year.
In the 2K Classic championship game at Madison Square Garden, the Wolverines exacted their revenge with a 76-54 win, knocking SMU into unfamiliar territory the same way the Mustangs’ 82-58 win a year ago knocked Michigan upside down.
Friday’s loss was the first time SMU had lost by double digits since Nov. 17, 2014 at Gonzaga.
After gritting out a 76-67 win vs. Pittsburgh a day earlier, SMU shot only 37 percent from the floor and dropped to 3-1 this season. A day after trailing for only 1:41 of the second half, SMU trailed by at least 15 for the final 20 minutes.
Leaving New York in an unfamiliar spot, SMU has a home date with UC-Santa Barbara on Tuesday before going to USC on Thanksgiving weekend for its first true road game of the season.
Michigan made 13 of 31 3-point attempts (42 percent) and wasted no time building a big lead. Derrick Walton made three of his first four 3-point attempts to help the Wolverines build a nine-point advantage in the first four minutes. Their first-half offense consisted of eight made 3-pointers and eight dunks or layups.
SMU, meanwhile, managed just 14 points in the game’s first 12 minutes and trailed by at least five points for the final 16 minutes of the half. The Mustangs couldn’t provide any resistance to Michigan’s big men cutting and rolling to the basket. When SMU helped in the lane, it left shooters wide open on the wing. When SMU forced Michigan to take guarded jumpers, the Wolverines made them.
SMU cut the first-half deficit to seven with 6:46 left in the first half, but Walton hit a 3-pointer immediately after and backup big man Mark Donnal drew charges on back-to-back possessions.
Offensively, SMU struggled to get open shots and often settled for contested jumpers. Of the Mustangs 22 field goals, only nine were assisted and they turned the ball over 13 times. Aside from a couple Ben Moore touches, SMU couldn’t get many open shots or move as well on offense as they had in their first three games.
Walton led all scorers with 23 points and made seven of his 12 3-point tries.
Semi Ojeleye, who scored at least 18 points in his first three games, led SMU with 13 points. Ben Moore, Jarrey Foster and Sterling Brown added 10 each.
Freshmen Dashawn McDowell and Harry Froling combined for two points, a day after totaling nine.
Game notes:
Sterling Brown was ejected Thursday night after picking up two technical fouls. Friday, Tim Jankovich chose not to start him, but he played 32 minutes.
Ojeleye was SMU’s lone representative on the all-tournament team.
SMU grabbed 18 offensive rebounds, but was outrebounded in the first half, 16-13.
In Michigan’s two previous meetings with SMU, they made a total of 18 3s and shot 25 percent from deep.
SMU’s next opponent, UC-Santa Barbara, is KenPom’s 212th-ranked team and is 0-2 to start the season.
