DALLAS – SMU scored the game's first nine points and took a double-digit lead for good in the first nine minutes of play as the Mustangs cruised to a 92-56 win over McNeese here Wednesday night.
 
The loss was the third straight suffered by McNeese (2-6) while SMU won its third consecutive game to improve to 8-3 on the season.
 
McNeese did get a welcome sight by having Stephen Ugochukwu back on the floor after missing the last three full games due to an injury. Ugochukwu led the team with 10 rebounds and missed out on his second double-double of the season by one point.
 
"It was good having him back out there," said head coach Dave Simmons. "Now we need to work on his conditioning. He'd have had his double-double had he not gone 2-for-6 at the free throw line. That's conditioning."
 
Kalob Ledoux led McNeese with 16 points, tying the season-high he had in the season-opener at Purdue.
 
"He really shot the ball well tonight," said Simmons of Ledoux. "I thought we did some good things tonight but as a team, we have to do a better job of shooting the ball."
 
McNeese made just 31 percent for the game (19 of 62) but did hit 11 of 27 from 3-point range for 41 percent. The Cowboys also had 13 assists on their 19 shots made and turned it over only 11 times – four in the second half.
 
"We just have to keep working hard and improving," said Simmons. We're getting there."
 
SMU jumped out to a 9-0 lead behind three straight 3s by Semi Ojeleye. Jamaya Burr came back with a 3 to put McNeese on the board then a 3 by Ledoux cut a double-digit lead to 16-7 with 11:34 to play in the half.
 
The Mustangs then scored 11 straight to go up 27-7 with 8:49 to play. The Cowboys fell behind by their largest deficit two minutes later at 36-12 with 6:38 to play following a Ben Emelogu basket.
 
From that point, McNeese played like it belonged on the floor with the Mustangs.
 
The Cowboys opened the second half on a 10-2 run and cut the margin to 17 points following Burr's second 3 of the game with 16:20 to play.
 
However, SMU took advantage of its muscle in the paint and continued to knock down its long range shots to widen the gap.
 
"They're a really good team," said Simmons. "Ojeleye is as good as anyone out there."
 
Ojeleye was one of five SMU players to score in double-figures with 16. Shake Milton led the team with 17 while Ben Moore and Jarry Foster added 14 each and Sterling Brown with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
 
The Mustangs hit 50 percent from the field (35 of 70) and knocked down 12 of 23 from 3-point range.
 
SMU held a 51-31 advantage in rebounds but the Cowboys pulled in 14 offensive boards, six of those coming from Ugochukwu.
 
McNeese will return to its home court on Saturday when it hosts North Carolina Central at 2 p.m.