Robert Nyakundi Leads SMU Past Rice, 75-68

HOUSTON (AP) – Robert Nyakundi scored a career-high 29 points, including seven 3-pointers, to lead SMU past Rice 75-68 Saturday.

Papa Dia added 19 points and Mike Walker 13 for the Mustangs (13-8, 4-3 Conference USA), who won their third in a row.

Arsalan Kazemi made 13 of 15 free throws, scoring 21 points, and grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds to lead the Owls (10-11, 2-5). Connor Frizzelle scored 17 points and Tamir Jackson 12.

SMU shot 56.3 percent (27 of 48) and 42.3 percent (11 of 26) from 3-point range but was outrebounded 32-21.

Rice started well and led 15-6 after two free throws by Kazemi with 13:38 left in the first half.

But Dia scored with 2:02 left in the half for a 29-27 SMU lead. Nyakundi and Collin Mangrum followed with 3-pointers to put the Mustangs up 35-27 with 1:01 to go, and Rice never led again.

The Mustangs host East Carolina on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Tickets available at 214-768-4263 (SMU-GAME) or SMUMustangs.com.