Short-handed No. 15 SMU still undefeated, beats UCF 88-73
DALLAS (AP) Ben Moore had a career-high 23 points, Nic Moore added 20 and short-handed No. 15 SMU is still undefeated midway through its season after an 88-73 victory over UCF on Sunday.
SMU (15-0, 4-0 American Athletic Conference) took control with an early 15-0 run that included a 57-second span with three 3-pointers. The first of those 3s was an alley-oop that actually went through the hoop, though the Mustangs did have five dunks by halftime - and three more after that.
Justin McBride had 20 points and nine rebounds to lead UCF (8-6, 2-1), while Matt Williams has 12 points and A.J. Davis 10.
No. 22 South Carolina (15-0) and SMU are the only undefeated Division I teams. But the Mustangs know they will only play 30 games this season, because of a postseason ban as part of NCAA sanctions handed down last fall that included Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown missing the team's first nine games.
The Mustangs have won all six games since Brown came back after their Dec. 17 home win over Hampton. But the 75-year-old coach wasn't on the bench after halftime Sunday because he wasn't feeling well. Brown experienced some symptoms of vertigo, which he has dealt with at times in the past.
