MEMPHIS, TENN. - Jahmal McMurray had 27 points as No. 10 SMU defeated No. 7 Tulsa, 74-65, in the first round of the 2019 Air Force Reserve American Athletic Conference Tournament on Thursday night inside FedExForum.
McMurray shot 50-percent from the field (7-of-14) and made 9-of-11 from the free throw line to lead all scorers. The guard filled out his line with four 3-pointers, five rebounds, five assists and one steal.
SMU's senior guard spear-headed a Mustang attack that scored 47 first-half points and shot over 45-percent from the field and 40-percent from long range.
The Mustangs became the third team to win as a 10 seed in American Tournament history. Tulane won two games as a 10 seed in 2016, defeating then-No. 7 seed UCF, 65-63, and then-No. 2 seed Houston, 72-69. Houston won as a 10 seed against then-No. 7 seed Tulane, 66-60 in 2015.
SMU led for 36:53 of the game and by as many as 20 points, shooting 61.5 percent from the field in the first half.
The Mustangs led by 14 at the half and held off a second-half comeback by Tulsa (18-14).
The Golden Hurricane held SMU to 27 second-half points while Jeriah Horne came off the bench to score 19 points with six rebounds and three 3-pointers but Tulsa could not break through in the end.
Tulsa held a 32-16 edge in points in the paint but only connected on eight of its 33 3-point attempts.
Ethan Chargois had 12 points, six rebounds and two assists for SMU while Jarrey Foster added 10 points and eight rebounds.
Tulsa senior DaQuan Jeffries added 15 points with six assists. He also shot 5-of-10 from the field with two 3-pointers, two blocks and a steal. Lawson Korita was limited to four points but hauled in 14 rebounds, including five on the offensive glass.
SMU is now 8-2 all-time in American Athletic Conference Championship games and advances to the quarterfinals where the Mustangs will face No. 2 Cincinnati, tomorrow, March 14, at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT.