S. Mississippi distances itself late from SMU for 74-64 win

DALLAS (AP) - Tyree Griffin scored 21 points and distributed seven assists and Southern Mississippi beat SMU 74-64 on Sunday.

The Mustangs sped to a 10-2 lead before Southern Miss went on a 7-0 spurt to get back in it. Nat Dixon’s 3-pointer capped an 8-0 run for a 29-22 Mustangs lead, but Southern Miss closed out the last 3:20 of the first half with a 13-6 run and reduced their deficit to 36-35 at intermission.

The game stayed even through most of the second half, and in a 60-second span Southern Mississippi’s LaDavius Draine sandwiched a pair of 3s between one from CJ White and the Eagles were up 60-57. Ethan Chargois made a layup to reduce the deficit to a point before Gabe Watson buried a 3 with 6:38 to go. Chargois added a pair of layups before the Eagles went on an 8-0 run for a 10-point lead with 2:54 left.

For Southern Miss (2-0), Watson scored 14 points and Cortez Edwards and Draine each scored 10.

Chargois scored 25 for SMU (1-1) and Jahmal McMurray chipped in 18 points.