SMU and ECU cruised to a pair of victories on Sunday evening. The Mustangs extended their homecourt winning streak to 24 games, the third-best active run in the country, while the Pirates opened their 2017-18 with a win at Williams Arena.
#rv/rv SMU 83, ULM 65
DALLAS (AP) -- Shake Milton scored 24 points and Ethan Chargois scored 23 points and had nine rebounds and Southern Methodist pulled away from Louisiana Monroe for an 83-65 win on Sunday.
SMU (2-0) led 35-31 at the break, and early in the second half, Travis Munnings made a pair of free throws to bring the Warhawks to within 41-40. Milton responded with a pair of free throws and a jumper and Jimmy Whitt made a layup for 47-42 Mustangs lead.
Milton made a 3-pointer, Chargois made a pair of 3s and a jumper and SMU went up 58-44 with 9:58 to play. Louisiana Monroe (0-2) couldn't get closer than 10 points the rest of the way.
Jarrey Foster added 15 points, six rebounds and three assists for SMU.
Marvin Jeane-Pierre and Sam McDaniel led the Warhawks with 14 points each, Michael Ertel scored 12 and Jordon Harris added 11.
ECU 76, Coppin State 50
GREENVILLE, N.C. – ECU built a 22-point halftime lead and never looked back as it cruised to 76-50 victory over Coppin State Sunday night in its season-opener.
ECU (1-0) won its 18
th consecutive season-opener as the Pirates broke in several newcomers.
The Pirates essentially put the game away early in the first half, as they outscored the Eagles 30-10 over a 12-minute stretch. The Pirates held Coppin State to just 18.5 percent shooting, allowing only five made field goals and holding it without a field goal over the final 5:25 of the half.
Kentrell Barkley scored 14 points to go along with seven rebounds, joined for game-high scoring honors with Shawn Williams, who scored 14 points in 17 minutes of action off the bench, going 4-of-9 from the field and 4-of-5 at the free throw line.