Pirate men fall to SMU 75-44 at home

GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) -- Ben Moore scored 18 points and all five SMU starters finished in double figures as the Mustangs posted a 75-44 win over East Carolina on Saturday.

Moore finished 8 of 10 from the field and added 11 rebounds. Shake Milton finished with 14 points, Sterling Brown had 13, while Jarrey Foster and Semi Ojeleye added 12 apiece for the Mustangs (12-3, 2-0 American).

SMU has won eight straight to finish the month of December undefeated. The Mustangs last lost to Boise State on Nov. 30.

SMU shot just 41.7 percent from the field but held East Carolina (9-6, 1-1) to 35.3 percent overall and 15 percent from 3-point range.

Kentrell Barkley led East Carolina with 13 points, while Elijah Hughes added 10.

Two Milton free throws gave the Mustangs a 10-point lead at halftime, and a Ben Emelogu II trey made it 53-33 with 9:20 remaining. East Carolina never got back within 20.

IT'S A GAME OF RUNS

With the game tied at 8-8, the Mustangs went on an 18-8 run, which included a 7-1 spurt, to take a 26-16 lead with 3:54 left in the half.

SMU closed the first half on a 6-1 run to lead 34-24 at intermission.

After ECU closed within seven, 36-29, the Mustangs scored nine unanswered to push out to a 16-point advantage, 45-29. The run was 20-4 when Emelogou buried a 3 with 9:20 to play.

SMU outscored the Pirates 22-11 in the final 8:38 of the contest.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

The Pirates committed a season-low eight turnovers, their fewest since committing eight at home versus Temple last season (Jan. 27, 2016).

White moved into sole possession of sixth-place on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,372. He now stands 113 points shy of tying Anton Gill for fifth-place.

Barkley scored double figures for the second time in the last three games and the eighth time this season.

Hughes scored double figures for the second straight game and third time in the last four. He's scored double figures on four of the seven games he's played this season.

Washington posted his fifth game of the year with five or more blocks. He is the first Pirate to have over 40 blocks in a season since Robert Sampson (60) in 2012-13. Through 15 games, Washington has 41 blocks.

QUOTABLE

"I think we should watch the film. We should go through the film, watch the whole thing, and we should see what worked and what didn't work. I think if we do that, if we really, really do that, then I think we can make some changes but if we don't do that then nothing is going to change." – Andre Washington

NEXT TIP-OFF

East Carolina plays its first American Athletic Conference road game of the season Tuesday, Jan. 3, at UCF. Tip-off is set for 7:15 p.m. on ESPNEWS.