DALLAS (AP) — Damier Pitts scored 20 points and Marshall defeated SMU 73-68 on Saturday.

Three other Thundering Herd players were in double figures. DeAndre Kane had 14 points, Nigel Spikes scored 13 and Dennis Tinnon added 12 points for Marshall (16-10, 7-5).

The Thundering Herd never trailed and led by as many as 20 with just over 10 minutes left before the Mustangs rallied, but they couldn’t get closer than four points.

SMU (11-16, 2-10), coming off the lowest point total ever in a Conference USA game in Wednesday’s 47-28 loss to UAB, also started poorly on Saturday with just 14 points in the first half. SMU scored 39 points in the last 10 minutes on Saturday.

London Giles, who missed the UAB game due to a concussion, returned Saturday and led the Mustangs with 17 points. Jalen Jones scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half.

Ohio 81, UNC Asheville 62

ATHENS (AP) — Walter Offutt scored 19 points and Ohio beat UNC Asheville 81-62 on Saturday night.

Offutt shot 8 of 10 from the field and knocked down three 3-pointers for the Bobcats (21-6), who have won eight of its last 10 games and improved to 4-0 at home in Bracket Buster contests. Nick Kellogg added 10 points, five rebounds and three steals.

Ohio never trailed, scoring the game’s first six points and taking a 19-6 lead behind a 3-pointer from Offutt.

The Bobcats held UNC Asheville (18-10) to just 5 of 23 shooting in the first half and led 34-18 at halftime.

The Bulldogs shot 34 percent (18 of 53) from the floor, while Ohio made 57.7 percent (30 of 52) of its attempts.

Five players recorded at least two steals for the Bobcats who forced 24 Bulldog turnovers, scoring 30 points off their miscues.

Matt Dickey scored 16 for UNC Asheville.