Earning a total of 17 points, senior forward Robert Nyakumdi was SMU’s top scorer in Wednesday evening’s game in Moody Coliseum. (SPENCER J EGGERS / The Daily Campus)

The SMU men’s basketball program defeated TCU with a score of 68-62 during a cross-town show down at Moody Coliseum Wednesday.

Both teams put up a tough fight during the ball game, on both the offensive and defensive end.

With only one minute remaining in the first half, SMU and TCU were tied with a score of 35-35.

Mustangs Jeremiah Samarrippas, Robert Nyakundi and London Giles proved to be a powerful trio. However, it was Aliaksei Patsevich who set the Mustangs ahead with a 37-35 lead in the last minute of the half.

Despite their efforts, TCU’s Hank Thorns connected a lay-up to once again to tie the game 37-37.

Nyakundi was the leading scorer for the Mustangs in the beginning half with 10 points, while Giles followed closely behind with seven points.

Horned Frogs Garlon Green and Kyan Anderson led the men in purple during the first half with Green racking up 10 points and Anderson closely behind with eight.

Returning from the half, both teams refused to let up on either side of the court. The game remained tied for the first three minutes of the half, until SMU’s Shawn Williams connected a three-point basket to gain a lead of 44-41.

Shortly after taking the lead, the Mustangs and Horned Frogs fell back into a tied ball game.

The two teams continued to keep the game within two points until Nyakundi’s shot from outside the three-point line gave the Mustangs a three-point lead, 57-54.

With new found lead, the Mustangs energy took on a new level, both on the court and in the stands.

Once again pulling points for TCU in the final minutes of play, Thorns made a three-point shot to close SMU’s lead to only one point, 58-57.

A series of TCU fouls and a lane violation assisted SMU in taking over the ball game, with a score of 68-62 and 17 seconds remaining on the clock, ultimately leading to a Mustang victory.

Finishing with a final score of the rivalry match-up snapped SMU’s five game losing streak.

The Nyakundi, Giles and Samarrippas trio finished the game with points in the double digits. Nyakundi led the pack with 17 total points and five rebounds.

SMU finished with 26 points in the paint and 22 points off TCU turnovers, shooting 52.1 percent from the field.

TCU’s J.R. Cadot led the Horned Frogs with a total of 14 points and an impressive nine rebounds.

Next, the Mustangs will face-off with the Rice Owls in Houston, Texas for the second time in the 2011 to 2012 season. The game will tip off at 7 p.m. Saturday.