SMU builds big lead, cruises to 81-53 rout of Cornell

Dec 23, 2018, 03:17 am

DALLAS -- Jimmy Whitt Jr. had a career-high 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting on Saturday, and SMU built a 34-point lead before the 15-minute mark of the second half and cruised to an 81-53 win over Cornell.

Whitt was 10 of 11 from the field in the first half and scored all of his 22 points before the break, the first Mustangs player to score 22 in a first half since Dec. 30, 2005.

SMU (8-4) closed the first half on a 15-2 run and opened the second half with a 12-1 run to extend the lead to 56-22. Cornell (5-7) outscored the Mustangs 28-12 over the next 10:31, but the Big Red got no closer and SMU ended the game with three straight 3s.

Jahmal McMurray added 14 points, and Feron Hunt and Jarrey Foster scored 12 each for the Mustangs, who have won six of their last seven.

Matt Morgan scored 23, Jake Kuhn added 11 and Josh Warren 10 for the Big Red.