A second-half surge saw SMU pull away from Washington State and win the Acrisure Holiday Invitational championship game 77-60 on Wednesday night in Palm Springs, Calif.
The Mustangs (6-2), outscored Washington State 50-29 over the final 20 minutes, shooting 56.7 percent in the second half. It was a remarkable turnaround for a team that shot just 30.6 percent before the break.
Boopie Miller paced SMU’s offense with 16 points, including 11 in the second half. Samet Yigitoglu posted a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double.
Washington State (6-2) had multiple scoring droughts in the second half as its four-point halftime lead disappeared. Nate Calmese led the Cougars with 15 points and six assists. Ethan Price and LeJuan Watts each added 12 points.
The Mustangs trailed by seven in the opening minute of the second half, but a 7-0 run capped by Yigitoglu’s dunk set the tone for the final 18 minutes. SMU tied the score again at the 16:01 mark, and then took its first lead on a pair of free throws from B.J. Edwards.
A 9-2 spurt from the Mustangs was the positive break they needed after a tough shooting start as SMU went up 50-44. The Mustangs galloped away from Washington State as the second half continued, highlighted by an 8-0 run in a 1:54 span that pushed their lead to 69-55 when Yigitoglu threw down another dunk with 2:59 left. Compounded by a 3:09 scoreless stretch for Washington State, SMU pulled away.
The Cougars led the entire first half, starting with a 5-1 run out of the gate, and were up 17-10 with 9:46 left. But their advantage dwindled to one on three occasions in the final eight minutes. SMU cut the deficit to 26-25 with 2:25 remaining as Edwards tipped back his own miss.
However, Edwards turned the ball over on an off-target pass on SMU’s ensuing possession, leading to an Isaiah Watts 3-pointer and a four-point Washington State lead. SMU fell into a scoring drought after Edwards’ layup, and Washington State took a 31-27 lead into the break.
–Field Level Media
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