DALLAS – SMU used a 14-4 run midway through the second half to erase a 10-point deficit and pulled away for a 70-57 over ULM Sunday afternoon at Moody Coliseum.
 
Tyreese Watson led ULM (2-3 overall) with 14 points (6-of-10 field-goal attempts) while nine players scored for the Warhawks in the game. SMU put three scorers in double figures. Zhuric Phelps scored all his game-high 21 points in the second half, while Chuck Harris added 15 points and Samuell Williamson tallied 14 points with eight rebounds.
 
ULM controlled much of the first 25 minutes of the game. The two sides traded the lead through the first six minutes of the game before the Warhawks went ahead 12-11 on a jumper by Watson with 13:19 left before halftime, sparking an 8-0 run. A pair of buckets by Jalen Bolden and two free throws by Makai Willis pushed the ULM lead to 18-11 with 9:34 remaining in the half.
 
After SMU closed the gap to three, 20-17, on a 3-pointer by Williamson, ULM built its largest lead of the game. An 8-0 run, capped on a trey by Savion Gallion, extended the Warhawk lead to 11, 30-19, with 1:52 to go in the half. The Mustangs scored the final four points of the half to cut the gap to seven at halftime, 30-23.
 
In the second half, Phelps started to take over with the first five points, hitting a pair of free throws and a 3-pointer, to bring SMU within two, 30-28. ULM answered with a quick 7-0 spurt thanks to a 4-point play by Devon Hancock and a 3-pointer by Savion Gallion to go ahead 37-28 with 17:17 to play. The lead was extended back to 10, 41-31, on back-to-back buckets by Nika Metskhvarishvili with 15:08 left.
 
SMU limited ULM to just 16 points over the final 15:08 as the Mustangs rallied back. SMU started a 14-4 spurt with a 9-0 run to get within one on Williamson's jumper with 12:25 to play. Bolden scored four of the next five points, hitting a jumper and knocking down a pair of free throws, to push the lead back to four, 45-41. Phelps knocked down back-to-back jumpers to knot the game at 45. ULM fought off another SMU attempt at the lead with two buckets by Watson, but Ricardo Wright's 3-pointer put the Mustangs ahead for good, 50-49, with 8:37 to play.
 
SMU stretched the lead to four, 56-52, on a layup by Keon Ambrose-Hylton with 6:16. ULM pulled back within two on Watson's fastbreak jumper. However, SMU embarked on an 8-0 run with Phelps' basket with 3:00 left putting the Mustangs ahead, 64-54.
 
ULM shot 34% (22-of-65) from the field and 20% (5-of-25) from 3-point range while hitting 8-of-12 (67%) from the free-throw line. SMU shot 43% (22-of-51) from the floor, 38% (8-of-21) from 3-point range and 72% (18-of-25) at the foul line. The Warhawks outrebounded SMU, 40-38, and pulled down 18 offensive rebounds.
 
The Warhawks return to action at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday against Northwestern State at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.