Feb. 26, 2010

HOUSTON Cougars (14-13, 6-7 C-USA)
at
SMU Mustangs (13-14, 6-7 C-USA)
Sat. Feb. 27 - 7 p.m.
Moody Coliseum (8,998)
Dallas, Texas
TV: TWC Metro Sports/TTC (Pete Stein, Bruce Wiseman)
Radio: KAAM 770 AM (Rich Phillips, Allen Stone)
Internet: SMUMustangs.com

Complete Game Notes

The SMU Mustangs host the Houston Cougars on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Mustangs and Cougars as well as Southern Miss are in a three-way tie for sixth in Conference USA at 6-7. SMU fell 66-60 at Houston in the first matchup on Feb. 13.

The Mustangs are 3-3 at home in league play, but have won three of the last four. SMU is coming off a 59-54 road victory at East Carolina on Wednesday. Derek Williams scored 13 points to lead SMU and Papa Dia added 10 points.

SMU ranks second in C-USA in scoring defense in league play, allowing just 58.8 points per game. In C-USA games, the Mustangs have held opponents 13.3 points off their scoring average. Eleven of 13 foes have been held below their average with nine of them at least 11 points under their average. Three C-USA opponents have not reached 50 points. That marks the first time SMU has held three league opponents below 50 points since the 1957-58 season. The scoring defense in league play is the best for SMU since holding opponents to 52.3 per Southwest Conference game in 1951-52. SMU did hold league foes to 60.9 per outing in 1958-59.

Papa Dia: averaging career-bests of 11.8 points (19th C-USA) and 8.5 rebounds (6th C-USA) and has had 8 or more rebounds 15 times this season. His 3.2 offensive rebounds per game are 3rd in C-USA. He is also 80.6 percent on FTs (83-103) (5th in C-USA). In C-USA games, he is at 12.8 points (15th C-USA), 8.8 rebounds (4th C-USA), and 1.5 blocks (T-5th C-USA). He has 540 career rebounds, ranking 26th at SMU. DOUBLE-DOUBLES: He has eight double-doubles on the season, which is the most by an SMU player since Ike Ofoegbu (oh-fway-boo) had 10 in 2006-07. SWEET 16: His 16 rebounds at Tulane are the second-most in a C-USA game this year and tied for the most by an SMU player in a C-USA game (Ike Ofoegbu at Marshall 2/14/07).

Derek Williams: leads the team in scoring at 16.9 per game (4th C-USA) and has scored 20 or more points 10 times, including 6 C-USA games. He has 10 or more points in all but 4 games this year. He is averaging 3.5 assists (10th C-USA) and has a 1.4 assist/turnover ratio (9th C-USA). In league play, he is averaging 17.2 points (4th C-USA), 3.8 assists (9th C-USA) and has a 1.5 assist/turnover ratio (9th C-USA) while shooting 43.3% FG (14th C-USA) and 37.3% 3FG. He has played 40 minutes in eight C-USA games and has only missed 9 minutes of game time in league play. 800 IN 2 YEARS: He has 837 points at SMU and is just the 18th Mustang to have at least 800 points in any 2-year span. SMU BEST IN C-USA: He is 4th in C-USA in scoring and is on pace to be the highest ranked scorer for SMU since joining C-USA in 2005-06.

SMU ATHLETICS - ACADEMIC AWARDS: At halftime, SMU Director of Athletics Steve Orsini will congratulate SMU's team and student-athlete academic achievement awards.
Team Most-Improved GPA: Men's Golf (Team is ranked No. 29)
Highest Team GPA: Men's Tennis (3.255 GPA); Women's Swimming & Diving (campus-best 3.39 GPA, at C-USA championships seeking 14th straight league title) Academic Effort Award:
- Dane Saintus (Danny Saint-us) of Men's Soccer (currently with FC Dallas)
- Delisha Wills of Women's Basketball (missed season with knee injury after helping team to consecutive C-USA Championships)
Meyer Brothers' Award for Academic Performance is the most prestigious award presented to SMU student-athletes for combined athletic achievement, academic success, and community involvement:
- Audra Egenolf (aw-druh EE-gen-off) of Women's Swimming & Diving (The two-time All-American is a junior accounting major. She has been Conference USA Diver of the Week three times and is a C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal winner and member of the Commissioner's Honor Roll. She also volunteers at the Dallas Mission House.)
- Pete Fleps of Football (a junior management major and a two-year starter at linebacker, was an honorable mention All-Conference the Mustangs snapped a 25-year Bowl drought, earned a share of the Conference USA Western Division Championship and claimed a Sheraton Hawaii Bowl Championship. SMU finished the season 8-5, marking the largest turnaround in the nation in 2009. In the classroom, Fleps, who serves as President of SMU's FCA Chapter, has been a member of the C-USA Football All-Academic Team and Commissioner's Honor Roll and has also won a C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal.)

LAST GAME (Feb. 24 at East Carolina, W, 59-54): GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) - Derek Williams scored 13 points to lead SMU to a 59-54 victory over East Carolina on Wednesday night. Papa Dia added 10 points and SMU (13-14, 6-7 Conference USA), which entered as the second-best scoring defense in the conference, held East Carolina to 38.8 percent from the floor (19-for-49). The Mustangs led by 12 points with 12:23 remaining, but East Carolina went on a 13-2 run to cut the deficit to 48-47 on Jamar Abrams' 3-pointer with 6:57 to play. Mouhammad Faye countered with a 3 and a 51-47 lead with 6:37 left and Robert Nyakundi's 3 gave SMU a 56-51 advantage with 1:10 remaining. SMU hit seven 3-pointers and won despite going 3-for-6 from the free throw line in the final 27 seconds. Brock Young scored 14 points and Abrams added 10 points for East Carolina (9-18, 3-10), which was 5-for-21 from the 3-point line (23.8 percent).

THE SERIES VS. HOUSTON (22-42): The Mustangs and Cougars are meeting for the 65th time with Houston holding a 42-22 lead. SMU has dropped nine straight since the teams became Conference USA foes, eight regular-season matchups and a C-USA Tournament meeting. Before that, SMU won three straight including the two meetings that occurred between the breakup of the Southwest Conference and becoming C-USA opponents. The teams spent 20 seasons in the SWC with the Mustangs trailing 28-14, but SMU does hold an all-time 6-5 edge in tournament play: 2-1 in NCAA Tournament action and 4-3 in SWC Tournament games. SMU is 0-1 against the Cougars in the C-USA Tournament. The two met in the last SWC Tournament at Reunion Arena in Dallas with SMU scoring a 62-57 win over the Cougars in 1996. The Ponies won NCAA Regional matchups in 1956 and 1965, but lost in 1967. The eighth-ranked Mustangs won 89-76 and over 17th ranked Houston in the 1956 Tournament. SMU eventually advanced to the 1956 Final Four.

THIS SEASON VS. HOUSTON (Feb. 13 at Houston - L, 66-60): HOUSTON (AP) -- Kelvin Lewis scored 29 points to lead Houston to a 66-60 victory over SMU. Houston led by 11 points early in the second half, but SMU pulled even with just over one minute remaining. Aubrey Coleman made a pair of free throws with a minute left for a 60-58 Cougars lead and Lewis added two more 16 seconds later. Lewis did most of his damage from 3-point range, making 7-of-16 from behind the arc. Coleman added 16 points for Houston (13-11, 5-5 Conference USA). Derek Williams had 24 points to lead SMU (11-13, 4-6). Mouhammad Faye had 10 and Papa Dia just missed a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds. Even with Lewis' 50 percent shooting day (9-for-18), the Cougars struggled from outside, making just 32 percent of their shots. But Houston was 18-for-20 from the free-throw line, including the last eight in the final minute.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES:
RODNEY CLINSCALES: Is averaging 4.3 points while shooting 35.8 percent from 3-point range (19-53).

Papa Dia: averaging career-bests of 11.8 points (19th C-USA) and 8.5 rebounds (6th C-USA) and has had 8 or more rebounds 15 times this season. His 3.2 offensive rebounds per game are 3rd in C-USA. He is also 80.6 percent on FTs (83-103) (5th in C-USA). In C-USA games, he is at 12.8 points (15th C-USA), 8.8 rebounds (4th C-USA), and 1.5 blocks (T-5th C-USA). DOUBLE-DOUBLES: He has eight double-doubles on the season, which is the most by an SMU player since Ike Ofoegbu (oh-fway-boo) had 10 in 2006-07. SWEET 16: His 16 rebounds at Tulane are the second-most in a C-USA game this year and tied for the most by an SMU player in a C-USA game (Ike Ofoegbu at Marshall 2/14/07). 500 & COUNTING: He has 540 career rebounds, ranking 26th at SMU.

Mouhammad Faye: averaging career-bests of 10.7 points (3rd on team, 24th C-USA) and 5.1 rebounds (19th C-USA). In the last five games, he is averaging 14.0 points and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 59.5 percent (25-42) and 43.5 percent from 3-point range (10-23). In the last four outings, he had team-highs of 19 points against UTEP and 18 points at Memphis.

Justin Haynes: is averaging 5.7 points while shooting 59-for-98 on FGs (.602) for the season. He has scored 10 or more points five times this season. SMU is 6-1 when he leads the team in steals.

Paul McCoy: suffered a season-ending right knee injury at Southern Miss on Feb. 2. He was averaging 7.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.2 steals. He is also averaging 1.5 steals for his career, which ranks 8th at SMU.

Robert Nyakundi: in C-USA games, he is averaging 8.2 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 36.4 per-cent (24-66) from 3-point range (9th C-USA) and making 1.8 3FGs per game (9th C-USA). He was limited by knee and foot injuries for most of the non-conference schedule. He hit 11 straight 3-pointers earlier this season by making his last 2 at Rice 1/20, going 5-5 vs. Houston Baptist 1/23 and making his first four 3FG against UCF 1/27. BEYOND THE ARC: He ranks 4th at SMU in career 3FG percentage at 40.2 (78-194). His 41.3% this season would rank 10th at SMU. FREE POINTS: At the free throw line, he is 26-29 (.897) for the season and 20-22 in C-USA. He hit 18 straight before missing his last one at Houston on Feb. 13. He hit 27 straight in C-USA before that miss at Houston and is 28-31 for his career in league play.

Mike Walker: 21 of his 28 FGs this season are 3-pointers. He is 21-49 on 3FG (.429) for the season. Earlier this season, he hit 8 straight 3-pointers in a two game stretch in Dec. He was 4-4 vs. Texas State (Dec. 7) and hit his first 4 from long range (4-6) at Occidental (Dec. 19).

Derek Williams: leads the team in scoring at 16.9 per game (4th C-USA) and has scored 20 or more points 10 times, including 6 C-USA games. He has 10 or more points in all but 4 games this year. He is averaging 3.5 assists (10th C-USA) and has a 1.4 assist/turnover ratio (9th C-USA). In league play, he is averaging 17.2 points (4th C-USA), 3.8 assists (9th C-USA) and has a 1.5 assist/turnover ratio (9th C-USA) while shooting 43.3% FG (14th C-USA) and 37.3% 3FG. He has played 40 minutes in eight C-USA games and has only missed 9 minutes of game time in league play. DOUBLE-DOUBLE: In the 65-43 win vs. UCF on 1/27, he had 12 points and a career-high 10 assists for SMU's first points-assists double-double since 11/24/02 (Bryan Hopkins vs. TCU 12 pts, 10 ast). TOEING THE LINE: He has 20 or more points in six league games with a high of 25 points (19 2nd half) in the 70-60 win over Memphis on 1/30. That included going 14-15 FTs (11-12 last 2 minutes)...800 IN 2 YEARS: He has 837 points at SMU and is just the 18th Mustang to have at least 800 points in any 2-year span. SMU BEST IN C-USA: He is 4th in C-USA in scoring and is on pace to be the highest ranked scorer for SMU since joining C-USA in 2005-06 (Bryan Hopkins 7th in 2005-06 at 14.5 points. It would be the highest league rank for an SMU player since Hopkins finished 3rd in the Western Athletic Conference in 2003-04 at 17.7 points.)

TEAM NOTES:
DEFENSE: SMU has held its C-USA opponents to an average of 13.3 points below their scoring average entering the game. Nine of 13 league opponents have been held at least 11 points off their average. Rice and Memphis are the only two teams to reach their scoring average, doing so in their home games by less than one point (at Rice W, 73-65 - avg. was 64.6; at Memphis L, 76-63 - avg. was 75.9). The largest dropoff was 32.8 at UTEP in the 49-45 loss on Jan. 6. (UTEP avg. was 81.8). The scoring defense in league play is the best for SMU since holding opponents to 52.3 per Southwest Conference game in 1951-52. SMU did hold league foes to 60.9 per outing in 1958-59.

NEW C-USA HIGHS: The Mustangs have won six games in C-USA, the most since joining the league in 2005-06. The three road wins in C-USA is also a best for the Mustangs. The 3-game win streak in C-USA (1/20 at Rice, 1/27 UCF, 1/30 Memphis) was also the longest in C-USA.

BIG WINS & CLOSE LOSSES: The Mustangs league wins are by an average of 12.2 points while the losses are by 6.4 points each (three by 4 points or less).

JANUARY: The Mustangs went 5-4 in January for the first winning January since going 6-3 in 2002-03.

BETTER THAN 50/50: The Mustangs shot 50% or better in four straight games (1/16 UAB to 1/27 UCF) and eight times this season. SMU is 6-2 when shooting 50% or better this season.

OUTSHOOTING: The Mustangs are 13-4 when shooting better than the opponent.

FG PCT UP: SMU is shooting 45.9% from the field (4th C-USA), the highest since 1988-89 (48.3%). The highest since then was 45.3% in 2004-05.

TURNOVERS: SMU is averaging 13.4 turnovers per game, the lowest since 2001-02 (13.7). That is down from 14.9 last season. SMU is averaging just 12.6 turnovers in C-USA, down from 14.8 last season. SMU only had 5 turnovers against Tulsa on Jan. 13; the fewest by SMU in a C-USA game.

SCHEDULE: SMU went 7-7 in non-conference play, but had losses to five teams in the top-100 of the NCAA RPI (through Feb. 21): Texas A&M (12), UNLV (43), South Florida (68), Northeastern (70), and College of Charleston (99). In C-USA, SMU has a win over Memphis (60) while four SMU losses are to top-100 teams; UAB (31), UTEP (53), Memphis (60), and Tulsa (75).

20/20: SMU has had two 20-point scorers in four games this season. Derek Williams 25, Papa Dia 23 vs. Memphis 1/30 (W, 70-60); Derek Williams 27, Robert Nyakundi 20 vs. Houston Baptist 1/23 (W, 82-68); Derek Williams 22, Papa Dia 21 at Rice 1/20 (W, 73-65); Mouhammad Faye 21, Paul McCoy 20 vs. Texas A&M (L, 80-68). The HBU and UCF games marked the first time SMU had multiple 20-point scorers in consecutive games since 2005 (Bryan Hopkins 32 and Eric Castro 28 at Tulsa (W, 95-83 ot) in Jan. 1; Castro 22 and Patrick Simpson 20 against Fresno St. (W 74-63) on Jan. 6). SMU has had five different 20-point scorers this season (Papa Dia, Mouhammad Faye, Paul McCoy, Robert Nyakundi, Derek Williams) and is one of only three teams in C-USA (Houston, UTEP) to do so.

HALF CENTURY: SMU has held three conference opponents to less than 50 points for the first time since the 1957-58 season. SMU fell 49-45 at UTEP on Jan. 6, won 65-43 vs. UCF on Jan. 27 and won 66-48 at Tulane on Feb. 6. The 49-45 loss at UTEP was the first time SMU held a league opponent under 50 on the road since a 65-42 win at UTEP on March 1, 2003. SMU then won 78-50 against North Carolina Central on Jan. 9, marking the first time SMU held consecutive opponents to 50 points or less since 1992; Feb. 8 vs. Texas Tech (W, 51-47) and Feb. 11 vs. Texas A&M (W, 44-38).

5 x 10 = W: SMU had five double-digit scorers at Texas State on 1/2/2010 (L 91-86; Derek Williams 29, Mouhammad Faye 13, Paul McCoy 13, Papa Dia 10, and Justin Haynes 10). It was the first time since six players scored in double-figures in a 92-52 win over Texas A&M -International on 12/5/2008.

LEAD THEM ALL: Against Florida Gulf Coast, Paul McCoy co-led SMU in points (18), rebounds (8), assists (3), steals (2). It was the second time he had led or co-led in all four categories; also doing so against East Carolina on Jan. 24, 2009. That was the first time for a Mustang since Bryan Hopkins against Marshall on Feb. 18, 2006.

FG 65%: SMU shot a season-best 65.3% for the game (32-49) against North Carolina Central on Jan. 9. It marked the first time the team shot 65% or better since Dec. 19, 2005, when SMU shot a school-record 69.4% (34-49) against Savannah State (W, 89-46).

STREAKS:
10+points: Derek Williams 4 (24, 20, 11, 13), Papa Dia 3 (10, 10, 10)
8+ rebounds:
Dbl-Dbl:
5+ assists:
3+ steals: Rodney Clinscales (3), Papa Dia (3)
2+ blocks:

MILESTONES:
SMU Career Rebounds: Papa Dia is 26th 540 (25th Wilber Marsh 550, 24th Gene Phillips 554, 23rd Mike Wilson 562, 22nd John Colborne 574, 21st Bamba Fall 576, 20th Bill Voight 580)
SMU Career 3FGM: Mike Walker is 14th 87 (13th Todd Alexander 92, 12th Chad Elsey 95); Robert Nyakundi is 17th 78 (16th Gerald Lewis 79, 15th Dez Willingham 81)
SMU Career Assists: Derek Williams is 23rd 199 (22nd Justin Isham 212, 21st Quinton Ross 222)

DEFENSE: In C-USA games, SMU is holding foes well below their averages.

	Avg *	Scored	Diff	Result
at UTEP	81.8	49	-32.8	L, 49-45
Tulsa	78.4	63	-15.4	L, 63-56
UAB	70.4	63	-7.4	L, 63-62
at Rice	64.6	65	0.4	W, 73-65
UCF	68.2	43	-25.2	W, 65-43
Memphis	76.2	60	-16.2	W, 70-60
at Southern Miss	67.2	56	-11.2	L, 56-53
at Tulane	63.7	48	-15.7	W, 66-48
UTEP	76.9	62	-14.9	L, 62-51
at Houston	79.7	66	-13.7	L, 66-60
Rice	64.7	57	-7.7	W, 67-57
at Memphis	75.9	76	0.1	L, 76-63
at East Carolina	67.0	54	-13.0	W, 59-54
Houston	78.6
AVG ^	71.9	58.6	-13.3

* Average entering that game, ^ only includes games completed

SIGNS OF PROGRESS: The Mustangs have improved in 10 major categories in league play this season compared to 2008-09.

	09-10	Diff.	08-09
Scoring Off.	60.8	-1.0	61.8
Scoring Def.	58.6	-12.2	70.8
Scoring Margin	2.2	11.2	-9.0
FT Pct.	.730	.081	.649
FG Pct.	.441	.023	.418
FG Pct. Def.	.391	-.038	.429
3Pt.FG Pct.	.350	.006	.344
3Pt.FG Pct. Def.	.330	-.021	.351
Reb. Margin	0.8	-1.0	1.8
Blocked Shots	2.20	-.80	3.00
Assists	10.30	-.45	10.75
Steals	4.80	.17	4.63
TO Margin	-1.90	3.41	-5.31
Ast./TO Ratio	0.80	0.07	0.73
3PT FG Made	6.00	-0.31	6.31
Turnovers	12.60	-2.15	14.75

BIG PICTURE (NOTES ENTERING THE 2009-10 SEASON)
1 - Last season, a first-year player led the team in scoring in 27 of 30 games, which was the highest percentage in the nation. Paul McCoy led 12 times as a freshman, Derek Williams led in scoring 10 times as a junior, Mouhammad Faye three times as a junior, and Robert Nyakundi led twice as a redshirt freshman. 2 - Last season Paul McCoy led the team in scoring 12 times, tying the SMU record for a freshman. He averaged 13.4 points per game en route to becoming the first freshman to ever lead SMU in scoring. McCoy also earned two C-USA Rookie of the Week honors. McCoy was selected preseason All-Conference USA By Blue Ribbon Yearbook for the 2009-10 season.
3 - The Mustangs' roster was all recruited by head coach Matt Doherty, which includes a Conference USA All-Freshman Team honoree each of the last two seasons; Paul McCoy (2008-09) and Papa Dia (2007-08). McCoy anchored a class rated as high as No. 33 nationally and Dia headlined a class rated as high as No. 24.
4 - The Mustangs now feature a more experienced lineup with two seniors, five juniors, five sophomores and two freshmen. The squad lost just one starter in Bamba Fall, a Conference USA All-Defensive Team selection. Overall, the squad returns six of its top seven scorers and 83.1 percent of last season's scoring, 67.9 percent of its rebounding, 90.1 percent of its assists, and 89.4 percent of its steals. 5 - The Mustangs improved in 13 of 19 statistical categories ranked by Conference USA from 2007-08 to 2008-09, including scoring, scoring defense, overall and 3-point field goal percentage, overall and 3-point field goal percentage defense, and rebounding margin.
6 - Senior Mouhammad Faye played for Senegal's National Team in the 2009 African Games in Libya. The Senegalese went 5-4 to finish seventh in the championship after winning Group C in the opening stage and winning Group F in the qualifying round. Faye was seventh in the tournament at 17.3 points per game while averaging 3.8 rebounds and shooting 46.7 percent. Faye also played for the Senegalese National Team in 2007 with Bamba Fall (2009 graduate). The 2007 squad finished ninth in the championships in Angola.
7 - For the second season, the NBA's Dallas Mavericks held training camp at SMU's Crum Basketball Center.
8 - Captains: Mouhammad Faye, Derek Williams and Paul McCoy were named team captains prior to the start of practice.

HEAD COACH Matt Doherty...is in his ninth season as a head coach and his fourth season at SMU. This is his 19th season in collegiate coaching with eight NCAA Tournaments, seven conference titles, a Final Four appearance and the 2001 AP National Coach of the Year award. He also has 22 players that have gone to the NBA. He has a 136-143 record including a 46-72 mark on the Hilltop.