National Basketball Association
Southern Methodist 70, West Virginia 58
When: 8:30 PM ET, Monday, November 20, 2023
Where: Suncoast Credit Union Arena, Fort Myers, Florida
Officials:
# Patrick Evans, # Brian Dorsey, # Courtney Green
Attendance:
3500
By Field Level Media
Zhuric Phelps had 17 points and 12 rebounds and SMU recovered from an 11-point halftime deficit to notch a 70-58 victory over West Virginia on Monday night to reach the championship game of the Fort Myers Tip-Off in Florida.
Ricardo Wright scored 12 points on four second-half 3-pointers, and Chuck Harris also scored 12 for the Mustangs (4-1). Keon Ambrose-Hylton added 10 points for SMU, which will face Wisconsin in Wednesday's championship game.
Jesse Edwards had 18 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots for the Mountaineers (2-2). Quinn Slazinski added 13 points for West Virginia, which will meet Virginia in the consolation game.
The Mustangs made 48.3 percent of their attempts and were 8-of-23 from behind the arc. Wright missed just one of his five 3-point attempts.
West Virginia shot 37 percent from the field, including 5 of 16 from 3-point range.
SMU trailed 38-27 early in the second half before erupting on a 15-3 run to take a one-point lead.
Harris scored five straight points and Wright knocked down a pair of three-pointers during the surge that gave SMU a 42-41 edge with 14:20 to play.
Edwards and Kobe Johnson responded with baskets to give the Mountaineers a three-point lead with 12:39 left.
A short time later, Harris, Phelps, Tyreek Smith, Ambrose-Hylton and B.J. Edwards each scored baskets during a 10-0 run to give the Mustangs a 54-47 lead with 7:12 remaining.
Another 3-pointer by Wright elevated SMU's lead to 61-52 with 5:04 left.
Wright knocked down his fourth trey of the half to make it 66-54 with 3:40 left and the Mustangs closed it out.
Edwards scored 12 first-half points to help West Virginia hold a 36-25 lead at the break. Phelps scored nine in the half for SMU.
The Mustangs were within 21-20 after a 3-pointer by Harris with 7:35 left. Seth Wilson hit a 3-pointer and Edwards added baskets for a 7-0 run that was the beginning of a half-ending stretch in which West Virginia scored 15 of the final 20 points.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
| Southern Methodist |
|
West Virginia |
|
Zhuric Phelps 17 |
Scoring |
Jesse Edwards 18 |
|
Chuck Harris 5 |
Assists |
Seth Wilson 4 |
|
Zhuric Phelps 12 |
Rebounds |
Jesse Edwards 9 |
|
Chuck Harris 2 |
Free Throws Made |
Jesse Edwards 4 |
|
Tyreek Smith 2 |
Steals |
Seth Wilson 2 |
|
Keon Ambrose-Hylton 2 |
Blocks |
Jesse Edwards 3 |
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Points |
FG% |
3PM-3PA |
FTM-FTA |
Assists |
Rebounds |
Blocks |
Steals |
Turnovers |
| Southern Methodist
|
70 |
48.3 |
8-23 |
4-6 |
18 |
30 |
5 |
9 |
8 |
| West Virginia
|
58 |
37.0 |
5-16 |
13-21 |
13 |
31 |
6 |
5 |
15 |
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