Jan. 18, 2011
SMU Mustangs (10-7, 1-2 C-USA) at UAB Blazers (12-4, 2-1 C-USA)
Wed. Jan. 19 - 7 p.m.
Bartow Arena (8,500) - Birmingham, Alabama
Radio: KAAM 770 AM (Rich Phillips) Internet: SMUMustangs.com
Complete Game Notes 
The SMU Mustangs visit the UAB Blazers on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Mustangs are 1-2 in C-USA after a 70-68 loss to Houston at home on Saturday. Papa Dia, the reigning C-USA Player of the Week, had 23 points, 11 rebounds and 7 blocks against Houston. Dia has double-doubles in all three league games. SMU fell 63-62 at home to UAB last season.
On the season, the Mustangs are second in C-USA and 29th in the NCAA in field goal percentage (.480), first in C-USA and 21st in the NCAA in 3-point percentage (.398),and tops in C-USA and 15th in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.762). The Mustangs are 10-2 when shooting better from the field and 4-2 when shooting at least 50 percent from the floor. SMU is also second in scoring defense in Conference USA at 62.1 points allowed per game.
ALL-CONFERENCE USA CANDIDATES: Papa Dia and Robert Nyakundi are leading the Mustangs this season. Dia is fifth in C-USA in scoring (17.6), tied for third in rebounds (8.8), and fourth in blocks (1.8). He also has seven double-doubles and is first in C-USA and seventh in the NCAA at 61.0 percent on field goals. In C-USA, Dia has upped his averages to 21.7 points (4th), 10.3 rebounds (2nd), 3.3 blocks (1st) and 3.0 assists (T-14th). Robert Nyakundi is adding 16.7 points (8th C-USA) and 4.9 rebounds. He is also leading C-USA and eighth in the NCAA with 3.1 3-pointers per game and is second in C-USA and 13th in the NCAA at 46.5 percent from 3-point range.
Papa Dia - C-USA PLAYER OF THE WEEK (JAN. 10-16): SMU senior forward Papa Dia was named the C-USA Player of the Week. Dia averaged 22.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.0 blocks, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals in games against Memphis and Houston. Dia had double-doubles in both games as he hit 60 percent from the floor (15-25) and 83.3 percent on free throws (15-18). Against Houston, he scored 23 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked a career-high seven shots. The seven blocks was also an SMU record in a C-USA game. In the 64-58 win against Memphis, he had 22 points and 10 rebounds. Dia also hit 5-of-6 free throws and grabbed two rebounds in the final 32 seconds to help seal the victory.
SERIES HISTORY: SMU and UAB are meeting for the eighth time with SMU trailing 5-2 in the series. This is the seventh meeting since becoming Conference USA mates. UAB has won four of the five Conference USA regular season meetings including a 63-62 decision in Dallas last season. SMU fell 78-75 in the last meeting in Birmingham in 2009. SMU's win in C-USA was 60-56 at UAB in 2007. The teams also met once in the C-USA Tournament as then No. 24 UAB won 69-55 in the quarterfinal round of the 2006 championship in Memphis. The first ever meeting was a 79-63 win in the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Dec. 29, 1983.
UP NEXT: SMU hosts Southern Miss on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Mustangs then hit the road for a pair; at Tulsa on Jan. 26 and at Rice on Jan. 29.
LAST GAME (Jan. 15 - L, 70-68 vs. Houston): DALLAS (AP) - Adam Brown scored 22 points, including a late layup that give Houston the lead for good, and the Cougars edged SMU 70-68 on Saturday. Brown's field goal with 1:40 remaining put Houston up 67-66, and the Cougars (10-6, 2-1 Conference USA) held on to win for the fourth time in five games. Alandise Harris led Houston with 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Darian Thibodeaux had 17 points. Papa Dia finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high seven blocked shots for the Mustangs (10-7, 1-2), and Robert Nyakundi added 22 points. Neither team led by more than six, and there were nine lead changes in the final 11:38. Following Brown's layup, Harris hit two free throws before Dia's dunk made it 69-68 with 5 seconds to play. Zamal Nixon then hit 1-of-2 free throws for Houston before Mike Walker missed a 3 at the buzzer.
LAST YEAR VS. UAB: (JAN 16 - L, 63-62 at SMU) DALLAS (AP) - Cameron Moore scored on a transition layup with 1:11 remaining, culminating a 24-point second-half comeback, and UAB held on to defeat SMU 63-62 on Saturday. Elijah Millsap had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Blazers (15-2, 3-0 Conference USA), and George Drake added 14 points. Derek Williams, who led SMU (6-10, 0-3) with 23 points, missed a layup with a second left. Papa Dia had 11 points for the Mustangs. The Blazers trailed 50-26 with 14:41 remaining. Millsap sparked the rally, scoring 16 of his points in the second half. Moore had six points.
LAST SEASON IN C-USA: The Mustangs went 7-9 in C-USA last season to finish with its most wins (7), best finish (tied for 7th) and best seed (No. 8) since joining C-USA for the 2005-06 season. SMU also recorded its first C-USA wins over Memphis and Houston. Papa Dia and Derek Williams were selected to the 2010 All-Conference USA Third Team. It was the first time SMU has had multiple All-Conference selections since the 2001-02 season (Damon Hancock 1st team, Quinton Ross 2nd team in WAC).
PATSEVICH DEBUT ON JAN. 26: SMU junior guard Aliaksei Patsevich will make his debut for the Mustang basketball team on Jan. 26 when the men play at Tulsa. Patsevich was cleared to practice by the NCAA beginning Dec. 22 after resolving issues relating to his amateur status. Patsevich played in 28 games last season at Collin County CC, averaging 10.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 35 percent from 3-point range.
TEAM NOTES
20/20: The Mustangs have had two players with at least 20 points six times this year and are 4-2 in those games; Papa Dia & Robert Nyakundi (4-1), Papa Dia & Justin Haynes (0-1).
70+: SMU is 6-1 when scoring at least 70 points this year and 30-14 in such games under Doherty.
ASSISTANCE: SMU is averaging 14.1 assists, up from 10.7 last year...the squad also has a 1.0 assist/turnover ratio after a 0.8 ratio a year ago.
COMEBACK: SMU overcame a 14-point deficit to defeat Memphis 64-58 on Jan. 12. It marked the seventh double-digit comeback for the Mustangs under Doherty.
DEFENSE-DEFENSE: SMU is 2nd in C-USA in scoring defense, allowing 62.1 points per game. The Mustangs finished 3rd last season allowing just 64.5 points per contest.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE = W: The Mustangs are 7-2 this season when an SMU player has a double-double; Papa Dia (5-2), Robert Nyakundi (2-0)
FG PERCENTAGE: The Mustangs are 10-2 when shooting a higher percentage and 0-5 when shooting a lower percentage than their opponent.
FREE THROWS: SMU leads C-USA and is 15th in the NCAA in FT percentage (.762)...that is up from .700 last year and neare the school record of .769 in 1961-62. Robert Nyakundi is 1st in C-USA (.915) and Papa Dia is 5th in C-USA (.830).
LONG RANGE: SMU leads C-USA and is 18th in the NCAA in 3-point field goals per game (8.8).
NCAA IMPROVEMENT: The Mustangs average rank is 128.6 in the 18 NCAA team categories. That is up from 181.1 last season. There are 336 teams listed this season.
SHARP-SHOOTERS: The Mustangs are 1st in C-USA and 15th in the NCAA in FT percentage (.762), 2nd in C-USA and 29th in the NCAA in FG percentage (.480), and 1st in C-USA and 21st in the NCAA in 3FG percentage (.398). Those are all improvements over last season when SMU was .700 at the FT line, .457 on FGs, and .358 on 3FGs. SMU is also leading C-USA in FG percentage in league play (.507).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES:
Rodney Clinkscales: Has made a career-high 28 3-pointers (27 in 2009-10)...averaging a career-best 7.6 points...is 15th in C-USA in 3FGs made (1.5 per game).
Papa Dia: Team tri-captain...Preseason All-C-USA, C-USA Player of the Week two times (Nov. 15-21, Jan. 10-16), SMU Invitational MVP (Nov. 19-21)...has 7 double-doubles this season and 20 for his career...ranks 5th in C-USA with a career-high 17.6 points (12.3 in 2009-10), T-3rd in C-USA in rebounds (8.8), 1st in C-USA and 7th in NCAA in FG percentage (.610), 5th in C-USA in FT percentage (.830), and 4th in C-USA for blocked shots (1.8)...he has scored at least 20 points 9 times and has at least 8 rebounds 13 times....SATUR-DIA: Papa Dia has a double-double in five straight C-USA games played on Saturday.
Ryan Harp: Team tri-captain...started 8 games...averaging 3.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in 21.5 minutes.
JUSTIN HAYES: Started 13 games...hitting .592 (45-76) on FGs this year after .609 (67-110) last season...he is averaging 7.1 points, up from 5.6 last season...scored a career-high 21 points at Tulane 1/8.
Collin Mangrum: Has played in 15 games with 1 start (vs. Houston 1/15)...averaging 3.9 points and 1.5 rebounds...in C-USA games, he is averaging 11.0 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting .591 (13-22) on FGs...had a season-high 15 points in a career-best 31 minutes in the win over Memphis 1/12.
Robert Nyakundi: Has a career-best 53 3-pointers this year (46 in 2009-10)...has at least 15 points 12 times and at least 20 points 7 times...he is 8th in C-USA in scoring (16.7), 1st in C-USA and 14th in the NCAA for 3FGs per game (3.1) and 2nd in C-USA and 13th in the NCAA in 3FG percentage (.465, 53-114)...he is 1st C-USA and 8th in the NCAA in FT percentage (.915, 43-47)...he is 2nd all-time career FT percentage for SMU (.881, 89-101).
Jeremiah Samarrippas: Started 12 games as a freshman...averaging 6.5 points...ranks 8th in C-USA with a 1.8 assist/turnover ratio (55 ast / 30 to)...he is 12th in C-USA in assists (3.2).
Mike Walker: Team tri-captain...has started 12 games this year...averaging a career-best 6.3 points (5.4 in 2007-08)
MILESTONES:
SMU Career Games Played: Mike Walker 39th 102 ( T-37th David Gadis & Bamba Fall 103, T-35th Bryan Hopkins 105) Papa Dia is T-33rd 106 (T-33rd Reginald Muhammad & Derrick Roberts 106, T-29th 4 tied 107)
SMU Career Games Started: Papa Dia is T-17th 81 (T-17th Jay Poerner & Derrick Roberts 81, 16th Carl Wright 83)
SMU Career Points: Papa Dia is 27th 1098 (26th Butch Moore 1179, 25th Lynn Phillips 1198)
SMU Career Rebounds: Papa Dia is 10th 725 (9th Joel Krog 745)
SMU Career Blocks: Papa Dia is 6th 96 (5th Reggie Franklin 129)
SMU Career 3FGM: Mike Walker is T-10th 107 (T-10th Damon Hancock 107, 9th Jon Killen 119, 8th Jemeil Rich 121, 7th Jeryl Sasser 133) Robert Nyakundi is 6th 139 (5th Chad Allen 161)
SMU Career FT%: Robert Nyakundi is 2nd 88.1 (89-101) (1st Eric Longino 88.4 (99-112), 3rd Charles Beasley 83.9 (270-322))
STREAKS:
10+points: Robert Nyakundi 13 (23, 15, 24, 15, 22, 13, 21, 23, 15, 22, 13, 15, 22), Papa Dia 5 (18, 14, 20, 22, 23), Collin Mangrum 2 (15, 13)
8+ rebounds: Papa Dia 8 (15, 8, 8, 10, 9, 10, 10, 11)
Dbl-Dbl: Papa Dia 3 (20pts,10rebs; 22pts,10rebs; 23pts, 11rebs)
5+ assists:
3+ steals:
2+ blocks: Papa Dia (7)
HONORS:
2010-11
C-USA Player of the Week: Papa Dia (Jan. 10-16)
C-USA Player of the Week: Papa Dia (Nov. 15-21)
SMU Invitational All-Tournament Team: Papa Dia (MVP), Robert Nyakundi
Preseason All-Conference USA - USA Today: Papa Dia
Preseason All-Conference USA - Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook: Papa Dia
Preseason All-Conference USA - Athlon Sports: Papa Dia
Preseason All-Conference USA - C-USA Coaches: Papa Dia (Second Team)
Preseason All-Conference USA - Lindy's College Basketball: Papa Dia (Second Team)
2009-10 (Returnees Only)
All-Conference USA - Papa Dia (Third Team)
2008-09 (Returnees Only)
C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll - Tomasz Kwiatkowski
2007-08 (Returnees Only)
Conference USA All-Freshman - Papa Dia
Papa Dia - C-USA PLAYER OF THE WEEK (NOV. 15-21): SMU senior forward Papa Dia was named the C-USA Player of the Week. Dia averaged 18.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while shooting 71.8 percent (28-39) from the field in four games. He was named MVP of the SMU Invitational as he helped the Mustangs win the event. For the tournament, he averaged 20.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, 1.3 assists and a steal. He finished with 28 points and 10 rebounds in a 102-70 win against Lamar. He also had 20 points and nine rebounds in a 69-53 victory over Portland State. This is his first career Player of the Week honor.
WILLIAMS JOINS MUSTANGS: Shawn Williams joined the SMU men's basketball team when he enrolled at SMU on Jan. 11. Williams, a 6-7, 225-lb. forward, arrives at SMU from Texas, where he played in seven of the Longhorns' first eight games in 2009-10 before missing the remainder of the season with an ankle injury. Due to NCAA transfer rules, he will have to sit out one academic year and can become eligible when grades are posted at the end of the Fall 2011 semester. He will have three years of eligibility remaining. Williams was ranked the No. 46 prospect nationally and the No. 2 prospect in the state coming out of high school in 2009. He was also named the 2009 Dallas Morning News Area Player of the Year. In his sophomore season (2006-07), Williams led Duncanville to a 39-0 record, the Class 5A state title and the mythical high school national championship.
ALBON HEAD TO BE HONORED WITH SAM AWARD: SMU alumnus Albon Head will be honored with the Silver Anniversary Mustang Award at the Jan. 22 game against Southern Miss. Head played football at SMU from 1966-68 including the 1966 SWC Championship and 1968 Bluebonnet Bowl victory when he served as co-captain. From 1968-70, Head served as a graduate assistant coach of freshman and scout team defensive backs. He earned a Bachelor's in History in 1969 and a Juris Doctor from the Dedman School of Law in 1971. He is a past chairman of the SMU Alumni Association and ex officio member of the SMU Board of Trustees. Head is an executive board member of the SMU Dedman School of Law and SMU-in-Taos, and is the chairman of the SMU Athletic Forum & Doak Walker Award. Head is a partner in the Jackson Walker L.L.P. Fort Worth office. In the community, he is the vice chairman of The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Fort Worth Stock Show Syndicate. He is also a board member for the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation, Fort Worth Sister Cities International and Downtown Fort Worth Inc. The annual award, which was initiated in 1991, is the most prestigious award given by the Lettermen's Association. To be selected as the SAM Award winner, an individual must have graduated from SMU at least 25 years ago and have made significant, positive and lasting impact on his/her community.
SUCCESS ON THE HILLTOP:
- The SMU football team finished 7-7 after a heartbreaking 16-14 loss to Army in the 2010 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. It is the second straight bowl for SMU after a 45-10 win over Nevada in the 2009 Hawaii Bowl. This season also saw SMU win the Conference USA West Division for the second straight season and make its first trip to the C-USA Championship game, falling 17-7 at UCF on Dec. 4.
- The women's tennis team is ranked No. 27 in the ITA entering the spring season. Junior Marta Lesniak is ranked No. 2, the highest mark in school history. Lesniak and Heather Steinbauer are No. 29 in doubles. The squad has made the second round of the NCAA each of the past two seasons and won the 2009 C-USA title.
- The No. 5 seed SMU men's soccer team (16-2-2) tied No. 4 seed North Carolina in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Championship on Dec. 3. The Tar Heels advanced to the College Cup with a 4-2 edge in the penalty kick shootout. SMU also won the C-USA regular-season title.
- The SMU volleyball team (25-6, 17-3 C-USA) finished second in Conference USA and set a school record for wins. The Mustangs had an RPI of 47 and were the highest rated team to miss NCAA selection.
TV TIME: SMU, CBS College Sports Network and Time Warner Cable reached an agreement to televise 17 SMU basketball games on The Texas Channel. Time Warner Sports will carry 10 men's games and seven women's games. The television schedule begins with a doubleheader on Dec. 4 when the women host Kansas at 2 p.m. and the men face Grambling State at 5 p.m. The SMU men's basketball matchups on The Texas Channel include all eight home Conference USA contests - Memphis, Houston, Southern Miss, East Carolina, Tulane, Tulsa, Rice, and UTEP. The Texas Channel will also carry the men's game at UTEP on Feb. 12.
SMU INVITATIONAL CHAMPS: The Mustangs won the SMU Invitational played Nov. 19-21. SMU finished 2-1 in the tournament; defeating Portland State 69-53 and Lamar 102-70. Portland State also finished 2-1, giving SMU the tiebreaker. SMU's loss came in overtime, 73-69 against UC Riverside. Papa Dia was named tournament MVP and Robert Nyakundi made the all-tournament team. The Mustangs established three school records, including a school-best 72.3 FG percentage (34-47) against Lamar and records for 3-pointers made (16) and attempted (37) against UC Riverside.
THE BIG PICTURE (NOTES ENTERING THE 2010-11 SEASON)
ALL-CONFERENCE USA: Papa Dia and Derek Williams were selected to the 2010 All-Conference USA Third Team. It was the first time SMU has had multiple All-Conference selections since the 2001-02 season (Damon Hancock 1st team, Quinton Ross 2nd team in WAC).
CAPTAINS: Coach Matt Doherty named seniors Papa Dia, Ryan Harp and Mike Walker as team captains on Nov. 11.
C-USA BEST: The Mustangs went 7-9 in C-USA last season to finish with its most wins (7), best finish (tied for 7th) and best seed (No. 8) since joining C-USA for the 2005-06 season. SMU also recorded its first C-USA wins over Memphis and Houston.
DEFENSE: In 2009-10, SMU finished second in C-USA for scoring defense in league play at 61.0. That is the best for SMU since holding opponents to 60.9 points per outing in 1958-59. SMU has held its C-USA opponents to an average of 11.9 points below their scoring average (entering that game). Only three C-USA opponents reached their scoring average.
FUTURE - NLIs: Head Coach Matt Doherty announced that four student-athletes signed National Letters-of-Intent to play for the Mustangs beginning with the 2011-12 season. The class includes Cannen Cunningham, a four-star 6-8 center from Lamar High School in Arlington; Jalen Jones, a 6-6 three-star guard from Kimball High School in Dallas; Eric Norman, a two-star 6-6 forward from Francis W. Parker School in San Diego; and Ryan Manuel, a 6-4 three-star guard from Fort Bend Austin High School in Houston. - "Overall, this is one of the best recruiting classes SMU has had in recent history," says Doherty. "I am thrilled with this group of young men. By adding this class with last year's class, we have a foundation that will translate into success on the court for years to come."
NEW ASSISTANTS: The Mustangs have two new assistant coaches in Larry Mangino and Jerry Hobbie. Mangino enters SMU with 24 years of collegiate coaching experience. He spent the last two years in player development for the Denver Nuggets after a seven-year stretch at the Air Force Academy. Hobbie comes to the Hilltop with 12 years in collegiate coaching. He spent the previous three years at Houston, making the postseason each year including the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
NBA: For the third season, the NBA's Dallas Mavericks held training camp at SMU's Crum Basketball Center.
NCAA SELECTION: SMU Director of Athletics Steve Orsini is a member of the Division I Men's Basketball Committee, receiving a five-year appointment that began Sept. 1, 2010. The 10-member committee consists of athletics directors and commissioners of Division I member institutions and conferences, and oversees administration of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, including the selection, seeding and bracketing of teams for the tournament. The committee is the primary NCAA contact with CBS Sports, the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and other key basketball organizations. Committee members oversee selected preliminary round sites, as well as the Final Four, and assign officiating crews for each game of the championship. The committee also serves as stewards for the good of the game, monitoring and taking action as appropriate regarding issues affecting college basketball.
NEXT LEVEL: The last three seniors from SMU are playing professionally. Two are in the NBA D-League: Bamba Fall (Reno Bighorns) and Mouhammad Faye (Rio Grande Valley Vipers). Derek Williams is playing in Latvia.
PRESEASON HONORS: Papa Dia was selected preseason All-Conference USA by Blue Ribbon College Yearbook and All-C-USA second-team by the league's coaches. Last year, he led the team and was fifth in C-USA in rebounds (8.6) while also ranking second on the team and 17th in C-USA in scoring (12.3). Additionally, Dia finished fourth in the league in field goal percentage (.544), sixth in free throw percentage (.800) and sixth in blocked shots (1.2). In C-USA games, he averaged 13.9 points (13th C-USA), 9.1 rebounds (4th C-USA), and 1.4 blocks (4th C-USA). He had 10 double-doubles for the season.
SENIORS: SMU has six seniors this season with Papa Dia, Ryan Harp, Tomasz Kwiatkowski, Myles Luttman, Collin Mangrum and Mike Walker. Dia, Harp, Kwiatkowski, and Walker are the first four-year student-athletes for Coach Matt Doherty. SMU had just two seniors in 2009-10 (Mouhammad Faye, Derek Williams) and one in 2008-09 (Bamba Fall).
SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT: SMU improved statistically in league play in 15 of 20 categories kept by C-USA.
STAYING AT HOME: The Mustangs play an SMU-record 19 home games at Moody Coliseum in 2010-11.
HEAD COACH Matt Doherty...is in his 10th season as a head coach and his fifth season at SMU. This is his 20th 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 147-153 record including a 57-82 mark on the Hilltop.
