SMU basketball update: Coming Up Short

Ponies Rally From 21 Down, Fall to Southern Miss, 57-56

CUSA-fans.com has a new staff of team correspondents this year to help bring you, the fan, more detailed Conference USA sports coverage. Today, our SMU Correspondent Rick Atkinson brings you his latest SMU basketball update.

DALLAS – In Wednesday’s conference opener, Derrick Roberts’ jumper at the buzzer bounced off the rim and SMU’s furious second-half comeback against Southern Miss ended in defeat.

"It was a shot that should’ve gone in," said Roberts, who had battled flu symptoms all day.

"It’s a shot he always makes in practice," said teammate Ike Ofoegbu.

The Mustangs led, 56-55, with 2:42 remaining, after two Bamba Fall free throws, but three turnovers and two missed shots later, SMU’s fate was sealed.

Andre Stephens’ layup with 1:32 to go was the game-winner for Southern Miss.

The Mustangs missed numerous close-range shots throughout the game.

"It’s obvious, we dug ourselves too big of a hole," said SMU head coach Matt Doherty. "We’re not a team that can do that, and expect to win, although we almost did.”

Southern Miss head coach Larry Eustachy said, "As determined as we were in the first half, they were just as determined in the second half."

Eustachy also said losing this one would have been a blow. "I would’ve been devastated," he said, adding, "We’re 1-20 on the road since I’ve been here.”

Devon Pearson and Ofoegbu led all scorers with 12 points each. All of Pearson’s came in the second half. Roberts added 11 points and Jon Killen had 10.

Ofoegbu notched another 11-rebound game and Fall blocked six shots, rocketing one several rows into the crowd.

The Mustangs were without Brian Epps, who was serving a one-game suspension for violating team rules.

Jeremy Wise led Southern Miss with 11 points.

Unlikely Rebound

Early on, a heart-stopping finish to this one seemed unlikely.

The Mustangs fell behind, 10-0, and shot 21-percent in the first half. They trailed by 18 points and 10 rebounds at the break and things looked bleak for SMU.

The halftime dedication of Moody Coliseum’s new scoreboard only drew uncomfortable attention to the jolting score - 37-19.

But early in the second half, with Southern Miss’ lead stretched to 42-21, a three by Dez Willingham started the rally. Pearson then pumped in three straight buckets, shaving the lead to 13 with 13:40 to play.

An Ofoegbu layup cut it to 10 at the 10-minute mark and a Southern Miss collapse seemed eminent. Pearson’s free throw gave SMU its first lead, 54-53, with three minutes to play.

Eustachy said the Eagles indeed were struggling. "They rattled us in that second half,"he said.

What Happened?

What happened in SMU’s halftime locker room?

"There was no Knute Rockne stuff," Doherty said. "It wasn’t yelling and screaming. I thought we were beyond that. I challenged them a little bit," he said. "[Is it] Soft Methodist University or Strong Methodist University?”

Doherty said the biggest halftime adjustment was "an adjustment of the heart, showing that we had something."

Roberts said, "I think in the second half, guys came out and took it personal. "He also said his status was unclear at game time. He’d received IV liquids and planned to play only 15 to 20 minutes, if at all.

He finished with 31 minutes and said SMU’s poor start was the reason.

"I couldn’t sit and just watch it," Roberts said. "So I just sucked it up and came out there and gave the team everything I had.”

"He showed a lot of heart," Doherty said.

Next game: Saturday, Jan. 13 @ Houston , 5:00 p.m. (Televised on CSTV)

Two after that: Wednesday, Jan. 17 @ UCF, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 20 vs. UTEP, 7. p.m.

Ronnie sez: "Well, the first half, I think SMU played as badly as I’ve ever seen an SMU team play. The second half, it was a great comeback, but they spent so much energy getting it back to an even game, they just didn’t have anything left to finish it off."

(Ronnie Perry has followed SMU hoops since 1957.)

Notes:

• Attendance: 2,519
• In the house Wednesday were former Dallas mayor Ron Kirk, and former Dallas Mavericks great, Rolando Blackman.
• Eustachy said SMU students rode him pretty good about his past incident involving coeds and alcohol. "It’s nice to be back in an area where the students remember what happened to me at Iowa State, so they can get on my ass,"he said.
• The students were plenty loud, but the Mustangs' first-half performance sent some packing.
• Eustachy on Doherty: "There’s not a better coach in this league."
• Doherty will appear on Southwest Kia Sports Talk (KFWD TV-52) each Thursday at 6:30 p.m. until the Final Four.