March 3, 2009

SOUTHERN MISS Golden Eagles (14-14, 4-10 C-USA) at SMU Mustangs (8-19, 2-12 C-USA) - Wed. Mar. 4 - 7:00 p.m. - Moody Coliseum (8,998) - Dallas, Texas - TV: TWC Metro Sports (Tape Delay 9:30 p.m.) (CJ Martin, Dave Michaels) - Radio: KAAM 770 AM (Rich Phillips, Allen Stone) - Internet: SMUMustangs.com

Complete Release in PDF Format

The SMU Mustangs (8-19, 2-12 C-USA) host the Southern Miss Golden Eagles (14-14, 4-10 C-USA) at Moody Coliseum on Wednesday at 7 p.m. This is the home finale and senior night for center Bamba Fall. Fall will be honored in a pregame ceremony.

SENIOR NIGHT - Bamba Fall: Bamba is competing in his 101st game as a Mustang. He is second at SMU and sixth in Conference USA in career blocked shots (244) and has 73 multi-block outings. Bamba has four of the top-ten single-season block totals in SMU history and has been first or second in Conference USA all four seasons. He is also 23rd in career rebounds (555) at SMU and fourth in career field goal percentage (55.7). Bamba is SMU's career leader in Conference USA games for points (485), rebounds (304), blocks (137), and field goal percentage (53.1). He also has six career double-doubles. Entering this game, Bamba is scoring 8.9 points per game this season and ranks second in Conference USA for blocks (2.44), 6th in rebounds (7.3), 7th in offensive rebounds (2.67), and 5th in defensive rebounds (4.63) while shooting 68.1 percent in league play. Bamba will graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in French. During the pregame ceremony, he will be joined at center court by his mother Astou (ah-stew) and brother Youssoupha (you-suh-fuh).

SPECIAL GUEST: When the Mustangs went to the locker room after practice on Feb. 24, there was a special visitor. Former President George W. Bush met with and spoke to the team while on campus with SMU President R. Gerald Turner.

QUICK TAKE: 1. - In C-USA games, SMU is averaging 36.6 rebounds (2nd) with a +1.4 differential (4th). Last season in C-USA, SMU averaged 31.8 rebounds and had a -4.2 differential. The Mustangs have outrebounded 9 of 14 league opponents and 12 of the last 17 opponents overall. SMU won the rebound battle at Tulsa 36-32 on Jan. 31 when Tulsa entered the game No. 5 in the nation with a +8.0 rebound margin. SMU was +14 (38-24) at UAB on Feb. 14 and +9 (53-44) in the overtime loss at UTEP on Wednesday. The 53 boards at UTEP is an SMU record in C-USA action. 2. - A first-year player has led SMU in scoring in 24 of 27 games (freshman Paul McCoy 12 times, JC transfer Derek Williams 8 times, junior transfer Mouhammad Faye 2 times, and redshirt freshman Robert Nyakundi 2 times - the others were senior Bamba Fall 3 times, sophomore Papa Dia, and sophomore Mike Walker; Fall & McCoy as well as Nyakundi and Walker co-led once). The Mustangs are one of nine teams with four different first-year players leading the way at least once (UC-Riverside (5), Wichita State (5), Colorado, High Point, Iona, Jacksonville State, Long Beach State, Sam Houston State). 3. - In Conference USA games, newcomers have accounted for 70.5 percent scoring (595 of 844 points), 82.4 percent of assists (122 of 148), and 66.7 pct. of steals (44 of 66) in 67.5 pct. of the minutes (1907 of 2825). 4. - The Mustangs have improved in 12 of 19 statistical categories tracked by C-USA compared to last season. 5. - SMU has made 566 three-pointers so far in Matt Doherty's first three seasons. That is second for any 3-year period. The record is 584 from 1997-2000. The Ponies have shot 34.2 percent from deep in that time. 6. - Experience - Bamba Fall has played in 100 games at SMU, the only one on the roster above 55 games. According to Kenpom.com, SMU is the 35th most inexperienced team in the nation. 7. - The Mustangs have reached 70 points nine times this season after falling 78-75 at UAB on Feb. 14. SMU is 5-4 in those games. Last season, SMU reached 70 nine times last season and six times in 2006-07. 8. - Fall has 66 blocks this season, the 5th-most in a season at SMU. He also has the 6th (63, 2007-08), 7th (62, 2006-07) and 10th (52, 2005-06) best seasons at SMU. 9. - Freshman Paul McCoy is averaging a team-high 13.6 points. He is on pace to become the first freshman to lead the Mustangs in scoring. He has been named C-USA Rookie of the Week two times (Nov. 24 & Feb. 16). He has led the team in scoring 12 times as a freshman, which is tied for the record at SMU (Jeryl Sasser in 1997-98). 10. Strength of Schedule - The Mustangs have the toughest schedule within Conference USA this season based upon opponent's winning percentage (.566). The Mustangs also had the toughest schedule last season (.527). The Mustangs were the only team to play four of the league's five postseason teams twice in league play. SMU plays home-and-home with Houston, Memphis, Rice, Tulsa, and UTEP. 11. - Bamba Fall has 244 career blocks. That is second at SMU (Jon Koncak 278) and 6th in C-USA. In 100 games he has 73 multi-block outings. (2+ 73 times, 3+ 41 times, 4+ 27 times, 5+ 12 times, and 6+ 3 times). Fall is tied for 23rd at SMU with 555 career rebounds and is the 30th SMU player to 500. 12. - Paul McCoy became the third SMU freshman to score 30 points in a game with 32 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Dec. 31. Ira Terrell had 33 against Arkansas on Jan. 30, 1973. Terrell scored 31 against Houston on Dec. 29, 1972. David Piehler scored 32 as a freshman at TCU on Feb. 9, 1980. McCoy nearly did again with 29 points at UAB on Feb. 14. 13. - Bamba Fall has hit 68.1 percent from the field (47-69) in Conference USA games. He has hit 41-of-55 (74.5%) shots from the field in the last 11 games, including a 5-for-5 outing at UAB Feb. 14. 14. - The 70-67 win over Colorado on Jan. 5 was SMU's first win over a Big 12 team since a 77-43 win versus Baylor on Dec. 16, 2004. 15. - The Mustangs have had four players score in double-figures eight times (5-3) including the 69-66 win over Rice Feb. 21. SMU had Mouhammad Faye (Jr.), Paul McCoy (Fr.), Robert Nyakundi (Fr.), and Derek Williams (Jr.) score in double figures in the games versus No. 14 Memphis and Cal State-Bakersfield. That was the first time the same four players have scored 10-plus points for SMU in consecutive games since Eric Castro (Sr.), Bryan Hopkins (Jr.), Justin Isham (Sr.), and Patrick Simpson (Sr.) did it against Tulsa (Mar. 3) and Rice (Mar. 5) in 2005 (both of those games went to overtime).

Paul McCoy: McCoy ranks among the Conference USA leaders as a freshman. He is 15th in scoring (13.7), 9th in FG pct. (45.6), and 7th in steals (1.67). Among C-USA freshmen, he is 1st in FG Pct., 2nd in scoring (Tyreke Evans, Memphis, 16.7), 2nd in steals (Evans, 2.07), and 1st in minutes at 34.56 (only freshman in the top 30). In C-USA games, he is scoring 12.5 per game (22nd), and ranks 14th in assists (3.00), and 10th in minutes (35.21). He took C-USA Rookie of the Week for Feb. 9-15 as he averaged 19.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in games against Houston and UAB. He shot 48.4 percent (15-31) and hit 6-of-11 three-pointers. At UAB, he scored a game-high 29 points in the Mustangs' 78-75 loss. Also was C-USA Rookie of the Week for Nov. 17-23 when he averaged 17.0 points, 3.3 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals with just four total turnovers to make the All-Tournament Team of the SMU Tip-Off Classic. In November, he was named by The Sporting News as one of the "Top freshman you may not know." On Jan. 7, he was selected as the nation's No. 12 freshman by Basketball Prospectus. On Jan. 16, he was named one of ten finalists for the for Oregon's 2008 Johnny Carpenter Prep Athlete of the Year Award, as selected by a 78-member, statewide panel of voters.

Bamba Fall: Fall is second in C-USA with 2.44 blocks per game with a season-high five four times. He now has 244 blocked shots for his career as he trails only Jon Koncak's SMU record of 278. In C-USA, he ranks 2nd in blocks (2.44), 6th in rebounds (7.3), 7th in offensive rebounds (2.67), and 5th in defensive rebounds (4.63). Through Feb. 28, he ranked 22nd in the NCAA in blocks. He has had five blocks in four games this season; TCU, Northwestern, UTSA, and Tulane. Had 7 points (3-4 FG), 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, a steal, and an assist while matched up with Jerome Jordan (11 pts, 3-7 FG, 5 rebs, 4 blk, ast) at Tulsa 1/31.

Mouhammad Faye: In C-USA games, Faye is averaging 8.9 points and 6.0 rebounds (14th). He had a career-high 15 rebounds at UTEP on Feb. 25. He also had 13 rebounds against Houston on Feb. 11 and followed that with nine boards at UAB on Feb. 14.

Derek Williams: Williams is averaging a team-best 3.56 assists per game. In C-USA, he is 22nd in scoring (11.7), 13th in assists (3.56), 14th in assist/turnover ratio (1.37), and 17th in minutes (32.33). In league games, he is scoring 11.9 points (24th) while averaging 3.64 assists (10th) with a 1.50 assist to turnover ratio (10th). Williams had a streak of eight consecutive double-digit scoring efforts that was snapped against Houston on Feb. 11. That was the longest double-digit streak since Ike Ofoegbu (oh-fway-boo) had a 12-game stretch of double-figure scoring games from Jan. 10 to March 3 in 2006-07.

THE SERIES (SOUTHERN MISS): The Mustangs and Golden Eagles are meeting for the seventh time with SMU trailing 4-2. This is the fourth meeting since becoming foes in Conference USA with Southern Miss leading 2-1 in the regular season after an 81-61 decision in Hattiesburg last season. SMU also fell 59-52 opening round game of the 2007 Conference USA Championship. The Golden Eagles also won the last matchup at Moody Coliseum 57-56 on Jan. 10, 2007. The Mustangs rallied from a 21-point second-half deficit to take a one-point lead before falling. The Mustangs won the first league contest 58-53 on Feb. 4, 2006. The first two matchups were a 91-85 loss on Dec. 14, 1975, and a 73-60 victory in the 1950-51 season.

LAST SEASON VS. SOUTHERN MISS: (Feb. 20 at USM, L, 81-61) HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) - Jeremy Wise scored 22 points to lead Southern Mississippi to an 81-61 win over SMU. Wise scored 18 points in the first half as Southern Miss (14-11, 6-5 Conference USA) used a pair of big runs to take control of the game. The Golden Eagles have won four of their last five games. The Mustangs (8-16, 2-9) have lost three in a row and five of their last six. The Golden Eagles went on a 17-3 run early in the game to take a 23-9 lead midway through the opening half. The Mustangs cut the deficit to 27-20 thanks to a pair of baskets by Joe Killen, but then Southern Miss went on a 19-2 run over the last seven minutes of the half. Wise had nine points in the second run, including a 15-foot jumper with 45 seconds to play that put him over the 1,000 point mark in his career. Wise is just a sophomore and became the 31st player in school history to score over 1,000 points. The Golden Eagles lead 46-22 at halftime and put to rest any hopes the Mustangs had of making a comeback by outscoring SMU 12-3 to begin the second half. R. L. Horton added 18 points and Courtney Beasley chipped in 13. Killen paced SMU with 12 points and Papa Dia added 10. The Mustangs played without the team's second leading scorer, Derrick Roberts.

Matt Doherty vs. SOUTHERN MISS: Matt Doherty is facing Southern Miss for the fourth time and looking for his first win over the Golden Eagles.

THE COACHES SERIES: Matt Doherty (SMU) and Larry Eustachy (USM) are meeting for the fourth time, all at their current posts. Eustachy leads 3-0 after an 81-61 win in Hattiesburg last season. In 2006-07, Southern Miss won both meetings including a 59-52 opening round game in the Conference USA Championship. The Golden Eagles also won the 2007 Conference USA opener 57-56 in Dallas on Jan. 10 when the Mustangs rallied from a 21-point second-half deficit to take a one-point lead before falling. Doherty and Eustachy are former Associated Press National Coaches of the year: Doherty earned the honor in 2001 when he was at North Carolina and Eustachy in 2000 while at Iowa State.

LAST GAME (Feb. 28 vs. Tulsa, L 74-64): DALLAS (AP) - Ray Reese scored 24 points to lead Tulsa to a 74-64 comeback win over SMU on Saturday night. Paul McCoy scored 16 points to lead SMU (8-19, 2-12 Conference USA). Mouhammad Faye and Bamba Fall scored 12 apiece, and Derek Williams had 10. McCoy led the Mustangs in scoring for the 12th time this season, tying the SMU record for games led by a freshman. He matched the mark established by Jeryl Sasser in 1997-98. Ben Uzoh added 20 points for the Golden Hurricane (20-9, 10-4 Conference USA), and Justin Hurtt had 15. Jerome Jordan scored seven points and grabbed 13 rebounds. SMU led 38-29 at halftime before being outscored 45-26 in the second half. Tulsa dominated the boards, outrebounding SMU 44-29. Robert Nyakundi had a team-high for SMU with six rebounds. Faye and Fall had five boards each. Fall now has 555 career rebounds and moved up to 23rd all-time at SMU. He also had two blocks in the game. Williams had a game-high five assists for the Mustangs with two assists and has 14 assists against six turnovers in the last three games. He also had two steals. The Golden Hurricane won the game despite shooting 37 percent from the field. SMU shot 44 percent.

UP NEXT: The Mustangs complete the regular season at Houston on Saturday at 7 p.m. Then the Ponies will begin Conference USA Championship action on Wednesday, March 11, at the FedExForum in Memphis.

FIRST YEAR SCORERS - NUMBER: The Mustangs are one of nine teams in to have four different newcomers lead the team in scoring; freshman Paul McCoy 12 times, junior college transfer Derek Williams 8 times, junior transfer Mouhammad Faye 2 times, and redshirt freshman Robert Nyakundi 2 times - the others were senior Bamba Fall 3 times, sophomore Papa Dia, and sophomore Mike Walker. Fall and McCoy shared the team lead against East Carolina while Nyakundi and Walker shared the top spot against Rice on Feb. 21. UC-Riverside (5 newcomers - 1 transfer, 4 JC transfers) Wichita State (5 newcomers - 3 freshmen, 2 JC transfers) SMU (4 newcomers - 2 freshmen, transfer, JC transfer) Colorado (4 newcomers - 3 freshmen, transfer) High Point (4 newcomers - 3 freshmen, transfer) Iona (4 newcomers - 2 freshmen, 2 transfers) Jacksonville State (4 newcomers) Long Beach State (4 newcomers - 3 freshmen, transfer) Sam Houston State (4 newcomers - 3 JC transfers, freshman)

FIRST YEAR SCORERS - FREQUENCY: The Mustangs have been led by a first-year player in 24 of 27 games (freshman Paul McCoy 12 times, junior college transfer Derek Williams 8 times, junior transfer Mouhammad Faye 2 times, and redshirt freshman Robert Nyakundi 2 times - the others were senior Bamba Fall 3 times sophomore Papa Dia, and sophomore Mike Walker. Fall and McCoy shared the team lead against East Carolina while Nyakundi and Walker shared the top spot against Rice on Feb. 21.

UC-Riverside - 24 of 27 gamesSMU - 24 of 27 gamesWichita State - 24 of 30 gamesSam Houston State - 14 of 20

MILESTONES:

SMU career blocks - Bamba Fall is 2nd 244 (1st Jon Koncak 278)C-USA career blocks - Bamba Fall is 6th 244 (5th Jason Maxiell, Cincinnati 252)SMU career rebounds - Bamba Fall is 23rd 555 (22nd Mike Wilson 562; 21st John Colborne 574; 20th Bill Voight 580; 19th Greg Kinzer 609)SMU steals by freshman - Paul McCoy is 3rd 45 (2nd Carl Wright 52, 1st Bryan Hopkins 61)

STREAKS:

10+points: Bamba Fall 3 (10, 12, 12), Derek Williams 2 (13, 10), Mouhammad Faye (12), Paul McCoy (16)8+ rebounds:Dbl-Dbl:5+ assists: Derek Williams (5)3+ steals:2+ blocks: Bamba Fall 3 (4, 2, 2)

HEAD COACH Matt Doherty...is in his eighth season as a head coach and his third season at SMU. This is his 18th 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 122-127 record including a 32-56 mark on the Hilltop.