Moody Coliseum was rattled when Tim Jankovich called timeout with 2:49 remaining in the first half. UMBC guard Jourdan Grant had just made a layup, giving the underdog Retrievers an unexpected 40-30 lead. Jankovich’s message to the team at that point was simple: it’s a long game.
The Mustangs took his advice to heart, staying calm and chipping away at the lead before eventually pulling ahead late in the game and winning 78-67.
Shake Milton paced SMU with 28 points. The preseason AAC Player of the Year knocked down jumpshots, got to the free throw line and guarded UMBC’s best scorer down the stretch in SMU’s comeback.