Box Score DALLAS - The UALR men's basketball team (1-0) rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit to knock off SMU 57-47 on Friday night at Moody Coliseum. The Trojans held SMU (0-1) scoreless for an 8:01 stretch in the second half as the Mustangs shot just 18.5 percent from the field (5-of-27) over the final 20 minutes.
Senior Solomon Bozeman scored a team-high 17 points in the win, and juniors Courtney Jackson and Eric Kibi added 11 points apiece for the Trojans. The Trojans outrebounded the Mustangs 36-to-32 on the night, with junior guard D'Andre Williams grabbing a team-high seven boards off the bench.
The Mustangs held a 30-21 lead at the break, but connected on just 5-of-27 field goal attempts in the second half. SMU attempted 30 three pointers on the night, following up a 6-of-12 effort in the first half by making just 2-of-18 from beyond the arc in the second half.
"After a sloppy first half, I thought our guys showed some real togetherness in the second half and were really tough minded in a game that could have gotten out of control," said UALR head coach Steve Shields. "I didn't think we were as aggressive, nor did we share the ball as well as we needed to, in the first half. It was a real team effort tonight."
Rodney Clinkscales led the Mustangs with 17 points off the bench by going a perfect 5-for-5 from three-point range. Preseason Second Team All-Conference USA selection Papa Dia grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds, but managed just six points on 2-of-7 shooting.
SMU used a 14-3 run midway through the first half to build a 12-point lead on its way to a 30-21 edge at the half. UALR trailed by a single point, 13-12, after a pair of free throws by freshman Daylon Guy, but the Mustangs answered with a 14-3 run, with two three pointers from Clinkscales, to go on top 27-15 with 4:12 remaining in the half. UALR shot just 35.0 percent from the field in the first half (7-of-20), and followed up a jumper by Jackson at the 13:30 mark by making just one field goal over the next 6:02.
SMU connected on 6-of-12 three-point attempts in the first half and held a 30-18 lead with 2:20 left to play following a three pointer by Jeremiah Samarrippas. Down by 12, senior Matt Mouzy hit a three pointer in the closing minute to bring the Trojans within nine, 30-21, at the break.
Trailing 32-21 near the start of the second half, UALR ripped off a quick 8-0 run, capped off by a three-point play by Jackson to cut its deficit to three points, 32-29. A three pointer by Bozeman and a breakaway dunk by Jackson, created by a steal from freshman Gus Leeper at midcourt, brought the Trojans within a point, 37-36.
SMU extended its lead back to four points after Mike Walker made 1-of-2 foul shots with 11:03 left to play, but it would mark the Mustangs final points for a stretch of 8:01. The Mustangs would not score again until a three pointer by Clinkscales with 3:02 remaining, and the Trojans capitalized on SMU's drought with a 12-0 run to take the lead for good.
Guy capped off UALR's 12-0 spurt with a short runner at the 3:17 mark to give UALR a 48-40 lead it would never relinquish. Clinkscales' final three pointer brought SMU within five, 48-43, but the Trojans made 9-of-11 free throws over the final 1:24 to prevent a comeback by the Mustangs.
Guy and Williams split point guard duties for the majority of the night, with the duo combining for seven assists against just one turnover. Guy got the starting nod against SMU, making him the first true freshman to start in his collegiate debut since De'Andre Eggins at Appalachian State on Nov. 18, 2005.
UALR completes its season-opening road trip when it takes on St. Bonaventure at 1 p.m. (CT) on Sunday.
