DALLAS, Texas — SMU fell to Washington State 75-63 in the 2nd round of the National Invitation Tournament on Sunday afternoon. The Mustangs beat Nicholls in the first round of the tournament and finished 2nd in the American Athletic Conference regular season, with a 24-9 record overall. The Cougars move on to the quarterfinals at 21-14 overall, with wins over Santa Clara and the 1 seed SMU so far in the tournament.
The Cougars got up early, playing great defense and not giving the Mustangs uncontested shots. SMU excelled all year shooting 3-pointers but were just 1-7 behind the arc in the 1st half. By halftime, WSU was up 19-points.
SMU came out of the break inspired, with new aggressiveness offensively, pushing fast breaks and driving to the basket. SMU Point Guard and AAC Player of the Year, Kendric Davis got loose, which opened things up for the rest of offense. Michael Weathers’ hustle on both ends of the court got the Cougars out of rhythm and played a huge role in getting the Mustangs back in the game.
SMU cut WSU’s lead down to 4-points with 3 minutes to go but the Cougars played well down the stretch, breaking the Mustangs’ press and making big shots. Davis ended the day with 30-points, shooting 100% on his 10 free throws. WSU Guard, Michael Flowers led the Cougars with 22-points.
The Mustangs won their first 17 home games this season, finishing the year 17-1 in Moody Coliseum. WSU will play in the NIT tournament quarterfinals later this week, game details have yet to be decided.
