CHAMP CENTRAL
HARTFORD, Conn. - No. 12/15 SMU used a balanced attack to beat UCF 70-59 in a hard-fought semifinal of the Frontier Communications American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championship.
Three Mustangs finished in double-figures, led by Sterling Brown who finished with 22 points on 6-of-9 shooting, going 3-for-4 from three-point range and making all seven of his free throws. Semi Ojeleye had 17 and Shake Milton finished with 16 for SMU (29-4), who returns to the championship game for the first time since 2015.
A three-point game at the half, UCF (21-11) pulled within two at 36-34, but SMU responded with a 14-2 run capped by threes from Milton and Brown to take control of the game.
B.J. Taylor led the Knights with 20 points and Nick Banyard added 16 on 6-for-9 shooting, but the Knights only shot 38 percent from three as the Mustang defense hounded UCF shooters all game long. Matt Williams was held to five points on 1-for-6 shooting from beyond the arc.
SMU will face the winner of No. 15/18 Cincinnati and UConn, Sunday at 3:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.