Daishon Smith drive vs. Little Rock 2019
Matthew Johnson
84
LITTLE ROCK LR 5-9, 0-1
97
Winner ULM ULM 8-5, 1-0
LITTLE ROCK LR
5-9, 0-1
84
Final
97
ULM ULM
8-5, 1-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
LITTLE ROCK LR 31 53 84
ULM ULM 40 57 97

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Smith Scores Career-High 42; ULM Beats Little Rock in Sun Belt Opener, 97-84

By Paul Letlow, ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist
 
MONROE, La. – Sun Belt Conference foes, meet Daishon Smith.

ULM's senior guard scored a career-high 42 points Thursday night at Fant-Ewing Coliseum as the Warhawks topped Little Rock, 97-84, in the league opener for both teams. 

"It feels terrific when you see one shot go in," Smith said. "Actually, you probably start feeling it in the warm-up line. The basket just gets bigger and bigger. As a shooter, that makes your confidence grow."  

Smith, a senior transfer from Wichita State playing his first and only season for ULM, made 10-of-12 3-pointers and was 14-of-19 from the floor.
  
"In high school, I think it was my 10th-grade year, I had 40 points exactly," Smith said. "That was the only time I ever had 40 points."  

His 42 points were the tied for the eighth-highest total for a ULM player in school history. It was the 11th time a ULM player topped 40 points, with Glynn Saulters holding the school record at 51.    

"He can score the ball. He's a good player man," said Little Rock coach Darrell Walker, a former NBA player and coach. "That ain't no joke what he did tonight. He can flat out play. He can shoot the ball and put the ball on the floor. He played well tonight."

Michael Ertel scored 16 points with six assists to bolster the effort. Williams added 13 points. ULM (8-5, 1-0) made 17 3-pointers on the night and shot 55.6 percent overall. 

"Tonight there were a lot of good runs on the offensive end," said ULM coach Keith Richard, whose team improved to 6-0 at home this season. "There's no question if we play well offensively, we can be a pretty good team."

Said Ertel: "We've been moving the ball well lately and when we do that, we've got a lot of weapons." 

After a slow start that featured five missed shots by the home team and a 6-0 deficit to open the game, ULM rallied with a 14-0 run to seize control. Smith was a major contributor with 12 points in his first 12 minutes on the floor.  

The Warhawks, who led by as many as 16 points in the first half, carried a 40-31 advantage into halftime. The Trojans (5-9, 0-1) hung around by shooting 57.9 percent from the field with six 3-pointers. 

Smith's big night continued in earnest in the second half as he scored 14 of ULM's first 22 points after the break as the lead swelled to 19. Smith, whose previous high was 26 against Northwestern State, scored 30 points in the second half alone. 

"He gets hot and he can go for any number," Ertel said. "He's just great to play with." 

Little Rock shot 62 percent in the game as Ryan Pippins (19) and Markquis Nowell (19) kept dropping baskets and lurked as close as eight points at 80-72 with 4:44 left in the game.  

"I'm disappointed in my team defensively," Little Rock's Walker said. "You score 80-something points on the road, you'd think you'd have a chance to win the basketball game. They shot 70-something percent in the second half and Smith was outstanding."

Back to back 3-pointers by Smith and JD Williams provided breathing room and the Warhawks prevailed. ULM shot 74.1 percent in the second half (20-of-27).  

"It helps a lot that we were at home opening up," Ertel said. "It always feels good to get your first one." 

Up next: ULM plays host to Arkansas State on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Tail feathers: The Warhawks improved to 4-9 in Sun Belt Conference openers. … ULM's biggest lead overcome in a win this season was four points (twice) before coming back from six against Little Rock. … ULM's Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame coach Mike Vining made his color debut on the ESPN+ broadcast with veteran Lyn Rollins, another state Hall of Famer, providing play-by-play. … Little Rock's Rayjon Tucker, who came in leading the Sun Belt in scoring at 20.8 ppg., added 16. 

 
Print Friendly Version