Recap: Ark-Little Rock vs. SMU

Puerto Vallarta, MX (Sports Network) - Leroy Isler and Will Neighbour each scored 15 points to lead the Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans to a 69-56 win over the SMU Mustangs in the semifinals of the Hoops for Hope Classic at the Puerto Vallarta Convention Center.

James White added 12 points, six rebounds, and four assists for UALR (4-2), which will face off against South Carolina in Sunday's championship game.

For SMU (5-1), Shawn Williams tallied a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. London Giles netted 12 points, Cannen Cunningham scored 11, and Nick Russell chipped in 10 for the Mustangs, who will play Missouri State in the third-place game.

UALR shot a lofty 54.2 percent from the field in the first half, but it went 0-of-6 from the foul line. SMU was made only 37.9 percent of its field goal attempts in the frame, but it shot 8-of-11 from the line and took a 33-32 lead into intermission.

The game was a back-and-forth battle for the first 10 minutes of the second half, but the Trojans ripped off a 19-7 run down the stretch to pull away.

UALR outscored SMU in the paint, 30-18. It was the Larry Brown's first loss as the head coach of the Mustangs.