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Ojeleye big 2nd half, No. 19 SMU rallies 80-75 over Tulane

2K Classic

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 17: Semi Ojeleye #33 celebrates with Shake Milton #1 of the Southern Methodist Mustangs against the Pittsburgh Panthers in the second half during the 2K Classic at Madison Square Garden on November 17, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Getty Images

DALLAS (AP) Semi Ojeleye scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half, including consecutive 3-pointers in the SMU run that finally put the 19th-ranked Mustangs ahead in an 80-75 victory over Tulane on Wednesday night.

With the rally from a 15-point halftime deficit, SMU (23-4, 13-1 American) extended its home winning streak to 20 games in a row, including all 16 this season. The AAC-leading Mustangs have a nine-game winning streak and have won 19 of their last 20 games overall

Jarrey Foster had 19 points, including three consecutive dunks in one stretch for SMU. Ben Moore had 15 points with 13 rebounds, while Shake Milton and Sterling Brown each had 13 points.

Cameron Reynolds had 23 points for Tulane (4-21, 1-12), which has a nine-game losing streak

Ojeleye, the former Duke transfer, missed his first 10 shots before making a 3-pointer less than 2 minutes into the second half. Even though he finished 4-of-17 shooting overall, he scored the first eight points in a 13-0 run that put SMU ahead to stay.

The Mustangs were within 56-55 after Ojeleye’s consecutive 3s, and went ahead for the first time when Brown had a steal and a breakaway layup with 9:43 left.

After Foster later missed a layup on a nifty pass from Ojeleye, Foster made up for that with three consecutive highlight slams in less than a minute.

Reynolds missed a dunk that would have put Tulane back ahead, and Foster followed that with a powerful two-handed dunk. Then came a one-handed slam over a Tulane defender before a putback slam for Foster.

Malik Morgan had 18 points for Tulane, while Ray Ona Embo had 12.

BIG PICTURE

Tulane: This was a chance for a signature win for Tulane in its first season under former NBA coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. The Green Wave led 42-27 at the break, and hadn’t trailed by that point. They had gone ahead with 10 consecutive points in a 3-minute span, which Reynolds started with a tiebreaking 3 and capped with a jumper that made it 25-15.

SMU: The Mustangs again played only their six scholarship players, like they did in a win over then-No. 11 Cincinnati on Sunday to take over the AAC lead and avenge their only loss since November. It was the first time in a 20-game span since November that SMU allowed more than 66 points, but that was after Tulane scored 42 before halftime.

UP NEXT

Tulane: plays its next two games at home, starting Saturday against USF.

SMU: at Houston on Saturday, then a week before playing its final regular-season road game at UConn on Feb. 25.

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