SMU uses program record 26 steals to shut down Arkansas State

B.J. Edwards notched a triple-double with 24 points, 13 assists and 10 steals as SMU produced a dominating 100-69 win over Arkansas State on Friday in Dallas, Texas to stay undefeated.

The Mustangs (6-0) racked up a 22-point lead late in the first half and cruised to the win, with a combination of a balanced offensive attack and a swarming defense.

SMU forced 32 turnovers that it converted into 51 points and recorded 26 steals in the game, supplanting the former program record of 19.

Arkansas State got within 79-63 on a 3-pointer by Royal Blue Smith with 8:10 to play but SMU answered with back to back dunks by Jermaine O'Neal Jr. and Samet Yigitoglu and three free throws by Boopie Miller to counter any notion of a comeback.

Miller finished with 17 points, Jaron Pierre Jr. had 15, Yigitoglu scored 14, Corey Washington added 13 and O'Neal hit for 11 in the win. It marked the second consecutive contest the Mustangs have had six players in double figure scoring and the fourth in a row that at least five players scored in double figures.

Edwards is the first Mustang to record a triple-double since 2018.

TJ Caldwell scored 20 points and Christian Harmon added 16 for the Red Wolves (3-3).

A pull-up jumper by Harmon four minutes into the first half tied the game at 9, but that was the last time the Red Wolves were close to even. The Mustangs then reeled off nine of the game's next 11 points, with Yigitoglu's short jumper at the 11:58 mark granting SMU a 20-11 advantage.

Edwards' free throw with 7:20 to play in the half expanded the Mustangs' lead to 15 points. SMU kept the pedal to the metal, going up by 22 on Yigitoglu's dunk with 1:10 left before settling for a 50-30 lead at the break.

Pierre led the Mustangs with a dozen points before halftime while Edwards had 10. SMU shot 56.8 percent from the floor in the half but its biggest advantage was forged by its defense, which forced 16 turnovers that it converted into 25 first-half points.

Harmon led the Red Wolves with 10 points over the first 20 minutes of play.