Rice University
-1215, 49 CUSA
SMU
-1710, 85 CUSA
Owls Fall in Overtime to SMU, 76-66
2/23/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 23, 2011
DALLAS - SMU freshman guard Jeremiah Samarrippas answered Rice's first basket in overtime and went on to score seven points in the extra stanza to thwart a valiant Owl comeback at the end of regulation and post a 76-66 victory Wednesday in Moody Coliseum.
Rice went on a frantic run at the end of regulation to force overtime. Down 50-39 with two minutes to play, the Owls drilled four, three-pointers en route to rallying from a double-digit deficit.
Lucas Kuipers drained three-pointers on back-to-back offensive possessions, the second cutting the deficit to four points, 54-50 with 27 seconds to play. SMU's Mike Walker and Kuipers traded free throws before Robert Nyakundi made one-of-two at the line with 11 seconds left in regulation.
At the other end of the court, Cory Pflieger canned a three to draw the Owls to within two, 57-55. Following an SMU timeout, the Owls forced Samarippas to turn the ball over on the inbounds. Taking the ball on the ensuing inbounds pass from eight feet out, Arsalan Kazemi made a move to the basket. He was fouled by SMU's Papa Dia driving into the lane and went to the free throw line with two seconds to play and an opportunity to tie the game.
The sophomore forward made both of his shots and the game would go to overtime tied at 57-57.
Rice got the opening tip to start overtime and Tamir Jackson made two free throws just nine seconds into the period to give Rice a 59-57 lead.
Samarippas would answer with his three-pointer, giving the Mustangs a lead they would not relinquish.
Jackson would miss a shot the next time down the floor and would be whistled for his fifth foul in the backcourt. He left the game with a team-high 22 points. He was 6-for-14 from the field, made 10-of-13 free throws, had four assists, three steals and no turnovers.
Later, Robert Nyakundi gave the Mustangs a 65-61 lead with his fourth, three-pointer of the game. After the two teams trade baskets, Samarrippas beat the shot clock with a layin that put SMU up by six, 69-63, and following a Rice turnover, Papa Dia extended the margin with a pair of free throws.
To start the game, Nyakundi picked up where he left off earlier this season in Houston. In SMU's victory at Rice in late January, he scored a career-high 29 points, making seven three-pointers.
He was 3-for-3 from beyond the arc in the first half of Wednesday's game and had 12 points by the break. But he would pick up his second foul midway through the period then would be whistled for his third with 3:05 to play.
Despite playing in foul trouble, Nyakundi finished with a game-high 26 points. He was 7-for-9 from the field.
Dia scored 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Mustangs while both Samarrippas and Mike Walker each finished with 10 points.
Nyakundi and Dia combined for 18 of the Mustangs' first 23 points as SMU led 23-18 before SMU closed out the period by scoring the half's final four points. Collin Mangram drained a three-pointer and Dia added a free throw in the final minutes to stretch out its biggest lead of the period, 27-18 at intermission.
The Owls missed their final nine shots of the half and did not have a field goal in the final nine minutes of the half.
For the game and behind Jackson's 22 points, Kuipers scored 16 while Connor Frizzelle finished with 15.
Rice, now 12-15 and 4-9 in Conference USA play, returns home to play host to East Carolina Saturday night. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. in Tudor Fieldhouse. SMU is now 17-10 and 8-5. The Mustangs travel to Marshall on Saturday.
-rice-
