UNIVERSITY PARK -- After back-to-back losses, SMU needed to immediately get back to its winning ways. It's always good to get back on track in front of a home crowd.

SMU returned to Moody Coliseum and scored an 85-76 over a good Georgia State team Monday night. The Mustangs (9-2) recorded their first victory since downing Northwestern State, 77-51, on Dec. 3.

It's a good win for SMU against a Georgia State team that played Duke and Georgetown well on the road earlier this year. This is also a Georgia State team that entered the game on a seven-game win streak. SMU had its ups and downs in the game.

The noticeable negative was 18 turnovers to only 12 for Georgia State (8-4). But the positives definitely outweighed the negatives for the Mustangs, who outrebounded the Panthers, 44-34, dominated the points in the paint, 42-22, and held the Panthers to 37% shooting for the game.

SMU took its first double-digit lead, 16-6, at the 10:40 mark when Tyson Jolly hit a short jumper, and the Mustangs managed to stretch their lead to 13 early. Georgia State only connected on only three of its first 20 shots in the first half. The Panthers finished the half shooting 32% and managed to heat up late in the half, hitting eight of their final 14 shots.

Georgia State took a 34-33 lead at one point on a Justin Roberts 3-pointer with 1:04 in the half. Back-to-back buckets by Isiaha Mike, however, gave SMU a 37-34 halftime lead. SMU used those Mike buckets to outscore Georgia State, 14-0, into the second half and regain a double-digit lead. SMU took its largest lead, 69-52, on made free throws by Ethan Chargois with 6:40 left to play.

Like it did in the first half, Georgia State clawed its way back into the contest and trailed by six with roughly 2 1/2 minutes remaining. A dunk at the 1:42 mark -- a spectacular reverse jam by Feron Hunt assisted by Kendric Davis -- helped SMU keep the lead. That jam was followed 34 seconds later with another Davis-to-Hunt connection, which resulted in an emphatic slam.

SMU closed the game with six free throws in the final 35 seconds by Davis. Four Mustangs finished with double figures in scoring.

Davis had 18 points and made 12 of 13 free throws. He also added nine assists in the win. Hunt had 18 points and hit 9 of 11 shots -- including eight dunks. He also had seven rebounds.

Jolly has 17 points and eight rebounds. Mike finished with a double-double, 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Georgia State's Kane Williams led all scorers with 22 points. Corey Allen had 18 points, while Justin Roberts added 16.

SMU next will begin American Athletic Conference play Jan. 1. The Mustangs will host USF, with tipoff at Moody Coliseum being at 4 p.m.