SMU is off to its best start in five years when it welcomes Arkansas-Pine Bluff to town Tuesday night in Dallas.
The Mustangs (4-0) are coming off a thrilling 87-85 victory over Butler on Saturday, battling back from a five-point halftime deficit. Jaron Pierre Jr. made a game-winning reverse layup with 4.2 seconds left. Pierre finished with 18 points and seven rebounds. Boopie Miller led his team with 23 points and 12 assists.
For the Mustangs, though, it was the resiliency they showed early on. They rallied behind Butler shooting 70 percent from the field in the second half, who scored 34 of their 62 points in the paint.
As coach Andy Enfield said afterward, 62 points in the paint “is a lot.”
“We’re a really good rim team,” Enfield said. “Our guys did a good job finishing when we were in the lane.”
The 62 paint points are the Mustangs’ most since Enfield took over last season. That should be SMU’s formula for success, Enfield said, because the team is built to get to the rim and draw fouls. Ultimately, the goal is that dominance inside will lead to open 3-point looks.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff, meanwhile, is heading out of the gates. The Golden Lions (0-5) have been outscored by 26 points per game — most recently losing, 104-75, Saturday at Vanderbilt.
UAPB is in the midst of 11 straight road games, something coach Solomon Bozeman explained before the season.
“How do we respond to adversity? That’s why we have 11 road games to start the season,” Bozeman said, according to the Pine Bluff Commercial News. “How are we going to be a team? Are we going to be together when things get tough? … This is the time for our team to come together in the face of adverse situations.”
The Golden Lions are led by senior guard Quion Williams (16.4 ppg, 7.8 apg), who spent his first two seasons at Oklahoma State. Jaquan Scott (14.6 points per game), who played in his first Div. I’m season at Mississippi State, and Trevon Payton (11.4 points per game) is also averaging double figures.
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