Mustangs’ slide continues with loss to Marshall (Photo By Brittany Oswald, The Daily Campus)
Bryan Hopkins became the Mustangs’ career leader in steals and scored a team high of 21 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a physical Marshall team as the SMU Men fell in overtime, 75-72. The loss was the Mustangs’ third straight and their first in overtime on the season.
The Mustangs were plagued by turnovers and poor outside shooting down the stretch and couldn’t hold a slim lead early in the extra frame.
“We were constantly fighting back tonight, but we should have beaten this team,” said Hopkins following the Mustangs’ seventh conference loss. “We weren’t making our shots, and they came up with all of the big rebounds.”
Point guard Dez Willingham began the game shooting four of four from the field with two three pointers to give SMU an early seven point lead. The Mustangs led by as many as nine in the first half but fell victim to a late first half run from the Herd. Guard Tre Whitted hit two consecutive three pointers to bring Marshall within one, and Mark Patton’s two free throws with 30 seconds to play gave the Herd a one-point lead at halftime. Willingham’s hot hand was one of the few bright spots as SMU shot nine of 26 from the field in the first half.
Patton created problems for the Mustangs with physical play both in the post and on the perimeter, drawing three, first-half fouls from SMU center Donatas Rackauskas. He would finish the first half with 10 points on three of five shooting from the field. Willingham was the lone Mustang in double figures at the half with 11 points.
SMU regained the lead after halftime on a Hopkins layup, and the teams continued to trade baskets until Marshall’s Markel Humphrey nailed a three to give Marshall a four-point lead. Two baskets by sophomore guard Jon Killen tied the score at 49, only minutes later, but the Mustangs couldn’t take advantage of consecutive steals by Hopkins on the next two Marshall possessions. Following a Patton basket that put Marshall up two, the Mustangs gave the ball back to the Herd on a shot clock violation. Hopkins and Patton traded baskets down the stretch, but Marshall held on to a five-point lead with two minutes to play.
Devon Pearson scored after being fouled by Patton to bring the Mustangs within three, but his free throw was off the mark as the clock ran inside one minute.
Marshall’s efforts to run the clock out resulted in another Hopkins steal, and the Herd deflected the ball out of bounds with ten seconds remaining. Marshall’s Chris Ross fouled Willingham on a three pointer with six seconds to play, and Willingham converted all three free throws to tie the game.
In its two previous overtime matchups this season, SMU defeated East Carolina on the road and Rice at home. The Mustangs entered the overtime period with confidence, taking the lead off of the tip as freshman Bamba Fall found forward Pearson for a tough basket inside.
However, Patton continued to do damage on the offensive end with a three that put the Herd up 73-72 with one minute remaining. Patton then rebounded a missed free throw to give his team a three-point lead. Derrick Robert’s three from the corner fell short on the next SMU possession, and a long three by Willingham missed at the buzzer. Despite a 21 point effort, Hopkins was left to contemplate a missed opportunity at home.
“Patton got all of the big rebounds at the end, and we found ourselves scrambling.” Patton would finish the game with 34 points on a blistering 13 of 17 shooting performance, and Joe Miles added 12 for the Herd.
Willingham finished with 18 to join Hopkins, Pearson and Bamba Fall in double figures for the Mustangs.
Head coach Jimmy Tubbs emerged from the locker room exhausted but looking ahead to the Mustangs next game against Central Florida (10-12, 4-5 C-USA) on Saturday. SMU (11-12, 3-7) closes out its home slate on Feb. 25 against UAB (18-5, 8-2).
