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Kennedy, SMU rout No. 22 Memphis

Feb 2, 2014 - 8:26 AM Dallas, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Markus Kennedy had a career-high 21 points and 15 rebounds as the SMU Mustangs routed the No. 22 Memphis Tigers, 87-72, at Moody Coliseum.

Sterling Brown contributed a career-high 15 points, while Nic Moore supplied 14 points and 10 assists. Nick Russell had 11 points and seven helpers as the Mustangs (17-5, 6-3 AAC) stayed perfect on the year at home with their 11th straight win as the host.

"Everybody when you get into conference play, you have got to realize everybody can beat you. We haven't gotten to that point yet," SMU coach Larry Brown said. "It's one thing trying to beat a team that people don't expect you to win, but it's another learning how to win on the road against a team that people expect you to win. ... It's still a work in progress."

Memphis (16-5, 6-3) was paced by Joe Jackson, who had a game-high 22 points and eight boards. Geron Johnson scored 18 points for the Tigers, who won four straight entering the contest.

Moore stole the ball and lobbed a pass down to Kennedy, who threw down a thunderous slam to make it 9-7 and give SMU their first lead of the game five minutes in.

Jackson threaded the needle on a pass through two SMU defenders to Johnson, who converted a three-point play after being fouled on a layup in the midst of a 14-2 spurt with eight minutes to go in the first half.

Keith Frazier hit a trey to quell the Memphis outburst, making it a 23-18 game, but Chris Crawford nailed a triple off a wide-open look to extend the Tigers' lead back to four, 26-22, with under five to go.

Moore tipped in a shot off his own rebound with six seconds left in the half to tie the game at 29-29 heading into the break.

SMU took total control in the second half. Moore hit back-to-back 3's as the Mustangs jumped out with a 10-2 outburst to start off the stanza.

Brown made two shots from beyond to open up a 20-point lead, making it 56-36 seven minutes into the final frame. Frazier dropped a corner three to give SMU their largest lead of the game, 66-41, with eight minutes remaining.

Jackson supplied six straight points and Michael Dixon Jr. made a shot from beyond in an 11-4 run. Memphis clawed back to get within 14 after Dixon Jr. hit a three with four to go, but that was the closest the Tigers would come.

Game Notes

This is the first time SMU has defeated two ranked teams in the same season since 1984-85 ... Memphis had won 16 straight in conference road games before the loss with their last defeat coming in a 75-72 contest at Southern Miss on Feb. 1, 2012 ... SMU has won three of the last four against Memphis in Moody Coliseum ... 10 of SMU'S 11 wins at home were by double figures ... SMU held a 52-32 edge in points scored in the paint.