No. 22 SMU 93, Lamar 54: Ben Moore recorded 22 points and 11 rebounds as the host Mustangs - despite the loss of star forward Markus Kennedy - opened their 99th season with an easy victory over the Cardinals.

Kennedy on Wednesday was ruled academically ineligible for at least the first semester after averaging 12.4 points and 7.1 rebounds last season, but SMU had plenty of firepower to shoot 64.7 percent from the floor and outclass Lamar. Yanick Moreira contributed 19 points and six rebounds for the Mustangs.

Anthony Holliday scored 12 points for the Cardinals, who recorded only five assists. Lamar (0-1), which was voted to finish 10th in the 13-team Southland Conference in the preseason polls, shot 31.4 percent from the floor and was 5-of-21 from 3-point range.

SMU never trailed and a 9-0 run - sparked by Justin Martin's 3-pointer - pushed its advantage to 29-14 midway through the first half. After a basket by the Cardinals' Donovan Ross, the Mustangs scored 12 consecutive points with Emelogu recording a three-point play and a 3-pointer.

SMU shot 61.5 percent from the field in the first half and led 46-20 at the break. Three straight Mustangs' baskets by Moreira extended the lead to 64-32 with 14:43 remaining and SMU took a 74-37 lead with 8:30 to play after Moore scored six straight Mustangs' points.

GAME NOTEBOOK: SMU faces a stiffer challenge when it visits No. 13 Gonzaga on Monday. ... Mustangs coach Larry Brown improved to 9-1 in NCAA season openers, with Houston's 91-76 victory over Kansas in 1983 the only blemish. ... SMU was voted to finish second to national champion Connecticut in the American Athletic Conference coaches poll.