Whitt hits winner with 4.4 seconds left for SMU

Nov 22, 2019, 01:37 am

CANCUN, Mexico -- Jimmy Whitt Jr. made a go-ahead baseline jumper with 4.4 seconds left, Jahmal McMurray hit a season-high seven 3-pointers and scored 27 points, setting a Cancun Challenge record, and SMU rallied past Wright State 77-76 on Wednesday night.

SMU trailed for the majority of the game. After a SMU turnover, Loudon Love rebounded his own miss and put it back to give Wright State a 74-73 lead with 30.5 seconds left. Whitt answered with a drive to the baseline, spinning his defender and hitting a fade-away jumper to retake the lead.

Mark Hughes was fouled going for a loose ball and made two free throws to give the lead back to Wright State with 10.7 seconds to go. But Whitt went coast-to-coast and sank a shot from about the same spot seconds earlier and Cole Gentry's runner wasn't close at the buzzer.

McMurray set a tournament scoring record with 98 total points over his three games. He opened with 34 points by making 14 of 17 shots and added 18 in a second-round loss to Southern Miss.

Whitt finished with 18 points on 9-of-10 shooting for SMU (3-3). Love had 19 points and 14 rebounds for Wright State (3-3).

The teams combined for just 11 free-throw attempts in the first 36 minutes and finished with 16.