DALLAS – Ben Moore scored a career-high 22 points and added a team-high nine rebounds with five assists to lead No. 22 SMU to a 93-54 victory over Lamar on Friday night in the opener for both teams.
Yanick Moreira added 19 for SMU, equaling his career high.
The Cardinals were led by Anthony Holliday with 12 points.
Lamar was limited 31 percent shooting from the floor, 5-for-20 on three-pointers. Last season, SMU ranked seventh nationally in field-goal defense by holding opponents to 38.5 percent.
SMU burst to a 15-5 lead before Lamar closed the gap to 20-14 midway through the half. A 3-pointer by Justin Martin then sparked the Mustangs to a 21-2 run over the next 6½ minutes as SMU eased to a 46-20 lead at intermission.
SMU played without junior forward Markus Kennedy, their top rebounder and No. 2 scorer last season. Kennedy is listed as ineligible with no details provided on when he could become eligible to play.
Moore's high game as a freshman last season was 19 last November against Arkansas. He played in all 37 games, but his start on Friday night equaled his total for last season. He sat out the final 6:35.
Moreira, who joined the Mustangs last season after playing for two-year South Plains College, was limited to 23 appearances and 14 starts in 2013-14 because of a knee injury.
The Mustangs were picked to finish second in the American Athletic Conference behind defending national-champion Connecticut. The Cardinals were chosen to finish 10th in the Southland Conference.
TIP-INS
SMU: Friday's home opener was a sellout, giving the Mustangs sellouts in 10 of 14 games played at Moody Coliseum since the beginning of last season.
Lamar: Five of the Cardinals' 13 players are junior-college transfers. They should get acquainted on the road with Lamar playing seven of its first eight away from home.
WHAT'S NEXT
SMU visits No. 13 Gonzaga on Monday.
Lamar hosts NAIA LSU-Alexandria on Sunday.
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