UNIVERSITY PARK -- With a 1 p.m. tipoff on Sunday against East Carolina, SMU lacked the usual fervor of its crowd.
The Mustangs mirrored the relatively quiet atmosphere, falling behind by seven points as the Pirates took advantage of open three-point shots.
But point guard Nic Moore, with only three home games left in his career, provided the spark that turned yawns into yells and energized his slumbering team. No. 21 SMU closed the first half with an 8-0 run and then took control in the second for a 74-63 victory before 6,852 at Moody Coliseum.
It marked the third straight season -- and fourth overall -- in which SMU (22-4 10-4 American Athletic Conference) has exceeded 100,000 in attendance.