ORLANDO, Fla. -- Ben Emelogu scored 23 points and Akoy Agau added 21 to lift SMU to an 80-73 win over the UConn in the first round of the Aaron's American Athletic Conference Championship on Thursday at the Amway Center.
Jahmal McMurray scored 19 points for the Mustangs (17-15), who withstood three big runs by UConn in the second half to advance to Friday's quarterfinal game against No. 1 seed Cincinnati. It was SMU's seventh straight win in the American Athletic Conference tournament.
Christian Vital led UConn with 24 points, 19 in the second half when the Huskies (14-18) cut a 19-point halftime deficit to just four with under a minute to go.