SMU center Bamba Fall makes a shot while covered by a Houston Baptist University defender at Moody Coliseum on Sunday afternoon. (Stuart Palley)
Coming off their most important win of the season over rival TCU, the SMU men’s basketball team (4-4) faced off against the Houston Baptist University Huskies (2-12). The Sunday afternoon game at Moody Coliseum was a high-scoring game with minimal defense.
The game started off with the Mustangs in control on both sides of the ball. Riding Derrick Roberts’ hot hand, SMU got out to an early 12-2 lead after just three minutes of basketball.
After that, the game turned into what looked like a three-point shooting contest. This allowed HBU to make a comeback and eventually take the lead by a score of 20-19.
Once the Huskies pulled even, the game was a shootout in which neither team played much defense. The half ended with both teams shooting at least 50 percent from the field and the Mustangs in the lead by a score of 43-39.
Roberts had his best half of the young season. He went 6-8 from the field, including 5-7 from the three-point line, giving him 17 points, four assists and two rebounds.
In the second half, it was a seesaw match-up that saw 14 lead changes and the score tied 15 different times. The game remained close for most of the half, until the Mustangs went on another 12-2 run, giving them the lead by 10 points with four minutes remaining.
The game was close for nearly the entire match-up, but SMU played its best basketball down the stretch when it counted. The Mustangs outscored the Huskies by a count of 20-7 in the final four minutes. SMU won the game by a final score of 90-77.
SMU had five players, Jon Killen, Mike Walker, Papa Dia, Bamba Fall and Roberts, score in double digits on the game.
Roberts had one of his best games on the season after finishing with 22 points, seven assists, five rebounds and only one turnover.
While it was SMU’s best offensive production this season, SMU head coach Matt Doherty was not pleased with his defense.
Doherty commented, “We came out on fire, so guys thought it was going to be easy. We relaxed, and let them catch a rhythm.”
It was the relaxation that allowed the Huskies to get back in the game and stay in the game, according to Doherty.
In spite of the Mustangs relaxing, Doherty credits the senior leadership down the stretch for the Mustangs’ victory. That leadership came from Killen and Roberts.
“We are getting close to 100 games in our career,” Killen said. “We understand what it takes at the end of the game.”
Unlike the Southern game, when the Mustangs lost a 16-point lead and the game, the seniors made sure that SMU went into the break with a win.
The Mustangs have a couple of days off for finals before practice and games pick up again over the break. Their next game is on Dec. 18 against USC-Upstate.
SMU forward Papa Dia scores while covered by senior forward Kevin Amend of Houston Baptist University at Moody Coliseum on Sunday afternoon (Stuart Palley)
