Sept. 29, 2005
DALLAS - DALLAS (SMU) --- The SMU Men's Basketball team released its 2005-06 schedule Thursday. The schedule includes 15 home games, 11 games against 2005 postseason teams, and 16 games against teams from Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. The season begins at Louisiana-Monroe on Nov. 20 and is followed by the home-opener at Moody Coliseum against Centenary on Nov. 22.
Second-year head coach Jimmy Tubbs and his squad will play 11 contests against teams that reached the postseason in 2005. That includes a pair Big 12 championship teams in pre-conference play - visiting defending Big 12 tournament champion Oklahoma State on Dec. 3 and hosting defending Big 12 regular-season champ Oklahoma on Jan. 4. The Mustangs also have two contests against Mountain West foes in late December beginning with a game at Wyoming on Dec. 22 before hosting Metroplex rival TCU on Dec. 30. The TCU contest will be nationally televised by CSTV with the tip set for 8:30 p.m. The Mustangs face additional in-state rivals Texas State, UT-Pan American, and Hardin-Simmons in non-conference play.
This is the Mustangs' inaugural season in Conference USA. The league schedule includes 14 games with the Ponies facing Rice, UTEP, and Tulsa in home and road contests while meeting each of the other conference foes once. Southern Miss, Marshall, UCF, and UAB round out the home portion of the schedule. The Mustangs travel to Memphis, East Carolina, Tulane, and Houston in league action.
The Mustangs return three starters from last year's squad. Senior guard Bryan Hopkins led the Mustangs with 17.9 points, 3.9 assists, and 2.4 steals per game. Hopkins was second-team All-Conference, leading the league and ranking 31st nationally in steals per game, capped by his SMU and Moody Coliseum single-game record of nine picks against San Jose State. The Ponies other returning starters are sophomore swingman Derrick Roberts and junior forward Devon Pearson. Roberts averaged 9.0 points and 3.1 assists in conference play. Pearson averaged 10.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, but increased to 13.8 points and 7.4 boards in his final 13 contests.
Tubbs' returns five reserves and added five newcomers. Sophomore guard Jon Killen is the lone returnee that played in all 28 games last year. Junior forward Ike Ofoegbu, sophomore forward Paulius Ritter, and senior guard Ryan Hopkins also bring experience. Junior forward Donatas Rackauskas re-joins the squad after missing last season with a knee injury. The newcomers are sophomore point guard Dez Willingham, junior-college transfer Brian Epps, and three true freshmen in center Bamba Fall, forward Brian Morris, and shooting guard Matt Williams.
All SMU basketball games are broadcast on KAAM 770 AM. For ticket information call 214-SMU-GAME or visit www.smumustangs.com.
2005-06 SMU Men's Basketball ScheduleDay Date Opponent Time LocationSat. Nov. 5 Ouachita Baptist (exh.) 7:00pm Dallas, TexasMon. Nov. 14 Arkansas Tech (exh.) 7:00pm Dallas, TexasSun. Nov. 20 @ Louisiana-Monroe 2:00pm Monroe, La.Tue. Nov. 22 Centenary 7:00pm Dallas, TexasSun. Nov. 27 Toledo 2:00pm Dallas, TexasTue. Nov. 29 Long Island 7:00pm Dallas, TexasThu. Dec. 1 @ Texas State 7:00pm San Marcos, TexasSat. Dec. 3 @ Oklahoma State 7:00pm Stillwater, Okla.Sat. Dec. 10 Hardin-Simmons 7:00pm Dallas, TexasMon. Dec. 19 Savannah State 7:00pm Dallas, TexasThu. Dec. 22 @ Wyoming 8:00pm Laramie, Wyo.Wed. Dec. 28 Harvard 7:00pm Dallas, TexasFri. Dec. 30 TCU (CSTV) 8:30pm Dallas, TexasWed. Jan. 4 Oklahoma 7:00pm Dallas, TexasWed. Jan. 11 UTEP* 7:00pm Dallas, TexasSat. Jan. 14 @ Memphis* 7:00pm Memphis, Tenn.Wed. Jan. 18 @ East Carolina* 6:00pm Greenville, N.C.Sat. Jan. 21 Rice* 7:00pm Dallas, TexasTue. Jan. 24 @ UT-Pan American 7:30pm Edinburg, TexasSat. Jan. 28 @ UTEP* 8:00pm El Paso, TexasWed. Feb. 1 @ Tulane* TBA New Orleans, La.Sat. Feb. 4 Southern Miss* 7:00pm Dallas, TexasWed. Feb. 8 Tulsa* 7:00pm Dallas, TexasSat. Feb. 11 @ Houston* 7:00pm Houston, TexasWed. Feb. 15 Marshall* 7:00pm Dallas, TexasSat. Feb. 18 UCF* 7:00pm Dallas, TexasWed. Feb. 22 @ Tulsa* 7:00pm Tulsa, Okla.Sat. Feb. 25 UAB* 7:00pm Dallas, TexasSat. Mar. 4 @ Rice* TBA Houston, Texas Mar. 8-11 Conference USA Championship Memphis, Tenn.
* Conference USA OpponentAll home games played on campus at Moody ColiseumAll times are local to DallasAll games on KAAM 770AM
