Boopie Miller scored 25 points and dished out 10 assists as SMU defeated feisty Radford 89-72 on Monday in Dallas to remain undefeated.
The Mustangs (7-0) finished off the sweep of their season-opening seven-game homestand but was not as dominating as in some of those games. SMU led by just a bucket late in the first half before forging a 20-3 run over the final minute of the first and the first four of the second half.
The Mustangs eventually led by 23 points after a B.J. Edwards layup at the 12:29 mark of the second. Radford closed to within 71-60 after a free throw by Del Jones with 5:39 remaining but would never get closer.
Corey Washington added a career-high 21 points and 12 rebounds and Jaron Pierre Jr. racked up 15 points and 13 boards for the Mustangs. Saget Yigitoglu added 10 rebounds for SMU.
Dennis Parker Jr. led Radford with 18 points while Jones had 16 and Jaylon Johnson scored 15. The Highlanders (2-6) have lost six straight games.
The Mustangs led 15-3 early on after a layup by Washington before a 9-0 run by Radford — capped by a 3-pointer from Louie Jordan — culled the margin to three points. The Highlanders were still within three after a three-point play by Parker with 8:18 to play in the first half.
Radford, coached by Zach Chu — who was SMU’s chief strategist last season under coach Andy Enfield — matched the Mustangs blow for blow throughout the first half. The Highlanders pulled to within 33-32 when Brennan Rigsby converted a layup and free throw with 4:13 left and were down by just two after a second chance jumper by Jaylon Johnson at the 1:27 mark.
But SMU closed the half on a 6-0 run punctuated by a Pierre three-point play with two seconds remaining that gave it a 46-38 lead at the break.
Washington led all scorers with 14 points before halftime while Parker’s 10 points paced the Highlanders.
The Mustangs took charge of the game early in the second half, scoring 14 of the first 17 points culminated by a layup by Miller four minutes into the period to stake SMU to a 60-41 advantage.
–Field Level Media
