ROWDY TIME SPORTS

SMU 60 @ TEMPLE 55

Another huge game from Markus Kennedy, another strong second half overall, and another tough road win for the SMU Mustangs.

With Kennedy pouring in 21 points off the bench and the Mustangs shooting 52 percent while holding the Owls to 36 percent after halftime, SMU battled and rallied its way to a third straight win, beating Temple 60-55 at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia.

Kennedy, who hit a combined 12 of 14 shots from both the field and the line, appears to have finally found his
rhythm and confidence in the past week, hitting that 21 point mark in two of his last three games.

And he came through when the Mustangs needed him. With SMU trailing by as many as 13 points early in the second half, Kennedy hit seven of nine shots from the field, including the bucket that got them to within 51-50 with just over three minutes to go. That set things up for Nic Moore, who gave SMU the lead just over a minute later. After Quenton Decosey split two free throws to tie the game, Moore’s three-pointer gave the Mustangs the lead for good, with Kennedy following that with a dunk for extra emphasis.

SMU outscored Temple 16-6 over the final six minutes, including holding the Owls to only one field goal in the final four – and that came with 1 seconds left that only brought the Owls to within four and no closer.

In all facets, it was the type of game that the Mustangs needed in order to show they can be tough on the road in the AAC, where Brown said is where they would find that out. Who knows yet what he will have to say when East Carolina comes to Moody on Saturday, but from the outside, the Mustangs appear to be clicking just when they need to.

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