Woeful Shooting Plagues Gents in Loss to SMU

SHREVEPORT-The Centenary Gents shot just 29.6 percent from the field Saturday in losing 68-40 to the red hot SMU Mustangs in the Gold Dome. The loss snapped the Gents three-game, season-starting home win streak and pushed SMUs current victory run to six straight. Centenary (4-6) struggled all game to find its shooting touch and ended the contest just 1-of-18 from behind the three-point line. As a result, the Mid-Continent Conferences highest scoring offense at 79 points per game, managed only 40 points on the entire afternoon. SMU (8-1) exploded out to an early 11-2 lead to begin the game on consecutive three-pointers from Devon Pearson, Brian Epps, and Derrick Roberts. The Gents would cut the deficit to eight points at 19-11 on a layup by Jeff Montague, but the Mustangs would dominate the rebounds in pushing out to a 24-point lead (43-19) at the break. The visitors from Dallas lengthened its hold to 26 points before Centenary responded with a 12-4 run. Bryan Baumann began the spurt with a layup and Tyrone Hamilton added six points over the three-minute span to bring the Gents within 16 at 49-33. However, SMU responded with a 14-1 run that gave the mustangs their biggest lead of the day at 29. Overall, SMU outrebounded Centenary 45-17 and used a 54.5 percent effort to outshoot the Gents as well. The Maroon and White did take care of the ball though, committing just 13 turnovers compared to 22 for the Mustangs in the loss. Hamilton led all Centenary players with 16 points despite converting on just 5-of-19 shot attempts. The sophomore did make all six of his free throws to push his consecutive made total to 26. Baumann added seven points for the Gents, which included the lone made three-pointer. Roberts paced SMU with 19 points on the strength of five trifectas. Epps finished with 14 points off the bench and Ike Ofoegbu added a double double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Bamba Fall contributed 12 points for the Mustangs in the win. The Gents will quickly hit the road for a matchup with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets of the Atlantic Coast Conference on Monday at 7 p.m. in Atlanta. Georgia Tech currently sits at 6-3 after back-to-back losses against Miami and Vanderbilt. The Yellow Jackets defeated Centenary last season in the CenturyTel Center in Bossier City, 85-69.