Oquendo's 20 leads 7 SMU players in double figures; Mustangs beat Alabama St. 101-72
SMU guard Kario Oquendo (8) drives past Alabama State guard CJ Hines (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, in Dallas. Credit: AP/LM Otero
DALLAS — Kario Oquendo hit four 3-pointers and scored 20 points on 7-of-8 shooting Tuesday night to lead seven SMU players scoring in double figures and help the Mustangs beat Alabama State 101-72.
Chuck Harris, Matt Cross and Samet Yigitoglu scored 12 points apiece for SMU (7-2). B.J. Edwards and Yohan Traore each added 11 points and Jerrell Colbert scored 10. Boopie Miller, who went into the game leading the Mustangs in scoring at 17.0 points per game, finished with a season-low four points on 1-of-12 shooting, 0 for 7 from 3-point range.
Amarr Knox scored 17 points and Shawn Fulcher added 12 for Alabama State (3-5).
Oquendo, Cross and Harris each hit a 3-pointer to cap an 11-0 run that gave the Mustangs the lead for good and made it 25-18 with 11:33 left in the first half. Tyler Mack made 3-pointers 19 seconds apart to pull Alabama State within two about 6 minutes later, but SMU scored 13 of the next 15 points before Fulcher hit a 3 for the Hornets to make it 49-39 at halftime.
Traore threw down a dunk to open the second half and SMU led by double figures the rest of the way.
SMU topped the 100-point plateau for the third time this season.
