Primo Spears makes his debut in Seminoles' home loss to SMU
SMU's Chuck Harris scored 24 points on five made 3-point shots to lead the visiting Mustangs to a 68-57 win over Florida State at the Donald L. Tucker Center.
Zhuric Phelps and Tyreek Smith scored 10 points each as SMU scored nine of the first 13 points of the game as they gained their seventh victory of the season.
FSU (4-5) dropped its fourth straight game.
Darin Green, Jr. and Primo Spears led the Seminoles with 10 points each.
Green Jr. earned his 100th career start.
Spears made his Florida State debut and scored in double figures and earned two steals. However, he started slowly, missing his first 10 shots and finishing 2 of 14 from the field.
Spears was previously ineligible this season as a two-time transfer. The NCAA reversed its new transfer rule earlier this week.
"I thought we had moments in the first half where I thought our defense was excellent," FSU coach Leonard Hamilton said. Both teams defended each other very well."
Green Jr. had 10 points for the Seminoles along with three rebounds. He has scored 1,491 career points and is only nine away from reaching 1,500 points in his career.
Hamilton rotated through 13 players, including Spears and Waka Mbatch,who also made his first appearance.
Chandler Jackson also contributed for the Seminoles. He finished with seven points two rebounds two assists and three steals.
Florida State's defense forced the Mustangs into 15 turnovers.
"We're tremendously disappointed in the outcome of the game," said Hamilton. "You have to give SMU the credit. They played close to their potential.
"We have to be more consistent with our energy and our efforts."
Florida State continues its seven-game homestand on Tuesday as it plays host to the Ospreys of North Florida 8 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU men's basketball drops fourth straight; Primo Spears makes debut
