“It was a great effort by our team,” said head coach Dylan Howard. “They competed hard and had a chance down the stretch. Now we have to get ready for a huge crosstown ASC game on Monday at McMurry.”
SMU led by nine, when the two teams exchanged four straight trips and at the 6:15 mark a Donald Rohde lay-up made it 70-63. Two Zach Pickelman free throws at the 5:43 mark made it 71-65. It was as close as they would be the rest of the game as back-to-back turnovers by the Cowboys and conversions by the Mustangs made 76-65 at the 4:17 mark.
HSU played a great first half and trailed only 36-35 at the 3:30 mark, before a quick 8-0 SMU run. The Cowboys scored again at the end of the half to make it 44-37 at the break. Each team shot well in the first hald. HSU hit 16-of-30 shots and was 5-for-9 from 3-point range. The Cowboys had 10 assists in the half. SMU shot 50 percent in the first half.
Zach Pickelman led the Cowboy effort with 17 points and Tanner Kudrna had 15. Derek Roberts and Devon Pearson each had 19 points to lead the Mustangs.
HSU shot 10-for-19 in the game from 3-point range. HSU only had nine turnovers. SMU hit 19-of-31 free throws in the game and HSU was 4-for-7.
Hardin-Simmons is now 4-3 on the year. SMU improved to 4-3. The Cowboys will play at crosstown rival McMurry Monday at 7:30 p.m.