SMU (3-7) vs Iona (7-3)
Diamond Head Classic – Game 1
SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center – Honolulu, Hawaii
Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022 – 2 p.m. CT / 10 a.m. HT
TV: ESPNU
Radio: KAAM 770 AM | Audio Streaming: SMU App (Google Play | Apple App Store)
Gameday Central | Live Stats
SMU Notes | Iona | American
SMU Basketball Yearbook | SMU Digital Game Program | Coach Rob  Lanier on ESPN Honolulu
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SMU plays in the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu Dec. 22-25. The field includes Iona, George Washington, Hawaii, Pepperdine, Seattle, Utah State and Washington State. The Mustangs open against Iona on Thursday, then will face Utah State or Seattle on Friday. The third game is Christmas Day.

Zhuric Phelps is averaging a team-best 19.5 points (2nd AAC, 31st NCAA) and Zach Nutall is scoring 13.3 per game (16th AAC). Phelps has been in double figures every game and has scored at least 19 points in six straight contests. Phelps is also averaging 2.7 assists and 1.7 steals (6th AAC). Three other Mustangs are adding 7.8 points or more with Efe Odigie at 8.8, Samuell Williamson at 7.9 and Stefan Todorovic at 7.8.  Todorovic is shooting 36.4% on threes (8th AAC). 

Efe Odigie is leading The American at 8.9 rebounds (41st NCAA) and Samuell Williamson is next at 7.2 rebounds per game (4th AAC). Odigie has three double-doubles (3rd AAC) and Williamson has one this season (10th AAC). Williamson is also averaging 1.3 steals (12th AAC) and 1.1 blocks per game (10th AAC).

Zach Nutall had a team-high 20 points and Zhuric Phelps had 19 points in an 83-75 loss to then-No. 24/25 TCU on Dec. 10 at Dickies Arena in the Simmons Bank Showdown. Efe Odigie had 13 points and 11 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. SMU outrebounded TCU 41-39 and outscored the Horned Frogs 38-36 in the paint. SMU shot 50% in the second half.

Zach Nutall has 1,575 career points, which is 46th among active players in NCAA Division I for career scoring. Efe Odigie is 53rd among active players with 689 rebounds. Odigie enters the matchup with Iona with 997 career points.

TROPHY CASE: Since 2015, SMU has won a pair of in-season events. The Mustangs took home the title at the 2015-16 Las Vegas Classic and also won 2019-20 Southwestern Showdown.

HEAD COACH ROB LANIER... came to the Hilltop from Georgia State, arriving with more than 30 years as a collegiate coach, including seven seasons as a head coach. His teams have made 12 NCAAs and earned 19 total postseason bids. Those teams also have five conference titles, three regular season championships and two tournament crowns, plus five more trips to a league tournament final.

In his three seasons at Georgia State, the Panthers went 53-30, winning the Sun Belt Tournament in 2022 and advancing to the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers also made the Sun Belt Tournament final in 2021. Additionally, he led GSU to a victory over Georgia Tech, the program's first win over an ACC opponent. The Panthers also claimed the 2019-20 2K Empire Classic Riverside Regional.

In addition to being the head coach at Georgia State and Siena, he has been associate head coach or an assistant coach at Tennessee, Texas, Florida, Virginia, Rutgers and his alma mater, St. Bonaventure. Lanier has played a role in signing 10 McDonald's All-Americans, and 11 players that he either signed or coached have become NBA Draft Picks.

After arriving at SMU, Lanier was named a training camp coach for the USA Basketball Men's U18 National Team. He worked with the team in Houston prior to its gold-medal run at the FIBA U18 Americas Championship in Mexico.

THE SCHEDULE: The non-conference slate includes at least five teams that have been in the national polls this season. SMU has played then-No. 24/25 Dayton, No. 20/19 TCU, No. 25 Arizona and previously top-25 Texas A&M as well as New Mexico, who is receiving votes. The Mustangs still have the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic before the American Athletic Conference 18-game league schedule that includes home and away against Cincinnati, ECU, [3/3] Houston, [rv/rv] Memphis, USF, Tulane, Tulsa and Wichita State. SMU will have just a single match-up with Temple at home and UCF on the road.

2023 ROCKET MORTGAGE FORT MYERS TIP-OFF: SMU, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin make up the four-team Beach Division of the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off, which will take place Nov. 20-22, 2023.

LAST GAME (L, 83-75 vs [24/25] TCU on Dec. 10): FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Mike Miles Jr. returned to the TCU lineup with 18 points and the 24th-ranked Horned Frogs extended their winning streak to six games with an 83-75 win over SMU on Saturday night. Miles was one of five players scoring in double figures for the Horned Frogs (8-1). Eddie Lampkin Jr., Micah Peavey and Emanuel Miller each had 11 points, and Chuck O'Bannon Jr. had 10. Zach Nutall had 20 points for SMU (3-7), which lost its fourth consecutive game. Zhuric Phelps had 19 points, while Efe Odigie had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Miles, the preseason Big 12 player of the year who had missed Tuesday's game because of illness, put the Horned Frogs (8-1) ahead to stay on a jumper with 13:33 left in the first half. That made it 12-11 before Miller and O'Bannon added 3-pointers on consecutive shots. Lampkin extended the lead to 22-13 with a one-handed slam after his steal. Lampkin initially passed to Damion Baugh, who gave it back to the 6-foot-11 center to set up the rim-rattling basket. Miller had also missed the win over Jackson State in the previous game because of back issues. He had missed two earlier games for the same reason. When Miles was fouled on a drive with 5:43 left, he initially grabbed at his lower leg and walked around after missing the first free throw attempt. He made the second one before exiting with the Frogs up 70-55 and was wincing after going to the bench, before reentering just more than a minute later. Lampkin was holding his lower back when he got up after being knocked down in a collision with Odigie in the lane when O'Bannon made a 3-pointer with 5:17 remaining.

HAWAIIAN AIRLINES DIAMOND HEAD CLASSIC

GAME 1: 
THE SERIES VS IONA: First Meeting

GAME 2:
THE SERIES VS SEATTLE: First Meeting
THE SERIES VS UTAH STATE: First Meeting

GAME 3:
THE SERIES VS GEORGE WASHINGTON: First Meeting
THE SERIES VS HAWAII (7-10): The programs have met 17 times with 15 of those were between 1997 and 2005 while they were members of the Western Athletic Conference. SMU won both meetings before becoming conference foes, a 92-72 win in Dallas during the 1966-67 season and a 82-73 victory in the 1983-84 Rainbow Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Mustangs went 5-9 in the WAC regular season games and lost the one WAC Tournament meeting in 2000. - LAST MEETING (W, 71-65 on Feb. 12, 2005): DALLAS -- Bryan Hopkins scored 27 points to lead SMU past Hawaii 71-65 Saturday night. He was 6-of-12 from the floor, including a 30-footer to beat the shot clock with 3:46 to go that pushed the SMU lead to 59-49. SMU's Patrick Simpson had 14 points and 10 rebounds and Justin Isham added nine points and 11 rebounds. Devon Pearson scored nine points to go with career-highs of 11 rebounds and five assists. Eric Castro had 10 points and became the 34th Mustang with 1,000 career points, finishing the night at 1,004. The Ponies finished 19-31 at the foul line, including 13-of-17 for Hopkins. The Mustangs also shot 51 percent (24-of-47) from the floor. SMU had a 43-23 rebounding advantage. Jake Sottos scored 17 points for Hawaii. Hawaii's Justin Sensley scored 14 points, and Bobby Nash and Matt Gibson each had 10. SMU led 32-27 at halftime.
THE SERIES VS PEPPERDINE (0-1 - L, 75-68 on Dec. 20, 1985): SMU fell 75-68 in the 1985 Kentucky Invitational in Lexington in the only meeting between the programs. 
THE SERIES VS WASHINGTON STATE (0-1 - L, 75-63 on March 20, 2022 NIT Second Round): DALLAS (AP) Michael Flowers had 22 points as Washington State beat SMU 75-63 in the NIT second round. TJ Bamba had 13 points for Washington State (21-14). Efe Abogidi added 12 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. Tyrell Roberts had six rebounds. SMU totaled 20 first-half points, a season low for the team. Kendric Davis had 30 points for the Mustangs (24-9). Michael Weathers added 16 points and eight rebounds. Zach Nutall had seven rebounds.

UP NEXT: SMU opens the American Athletic Conference schedule at Moody Coliseum on New Year's Day against Tulsa. The Mustangs play the two following games at [3/3] Houston (Jan. 5) and at UCF (Jan. 8).

SMU IN THE POSTSEASON: Since 2014, SMU has been in the NCAA Tournament twice (2015, 2017) and the NIT three times (2014 runner-up, 2021, 2022).

SMU ROSTER: 12 of 16 on the SMU roster have at least three years of eligibility (including this season).
Keon Ambrose-Hylton (3 - Transfer from Alabama)
Zavier Foster (4 - Transfer from Iowa State)
Jefferson Koulibaly (3 - Transfer from Washington State)
Emory Lanier (3 - Transfer from Davidson)
Darius McBride (3)
Mo Njie (3 - Transfer from Eastern Michigan)
Zhuric Phelps (3)
Jalen Smith (3)
Stefan Todorovic (3)
Trey Utter (4)
Ricardo Wright (3 - Transfer from Marist)
Jackson Young (3 - Transfer from Hawaii-Pacific)

HEAD COACH ROB LANIER ON THE MUSTANGS:

Franklin Agunanne (6-9, 245, F, Sr.)  | 2022-23: Played 7 games... totaled 6 points and 13 rebounds | "Frank has a maturity and physical presence that has really stood out. He has a very good touch and basketball IQ on offense and great effort and intensity on defense. Frank brings definite value to our team" – Head Coach Rob Lanier (2021-22: 23 games, 1.1 pts, 1.9 rebs, 55.0% FGs)

Keon Ambrose-Hylton (6-8, 215, F, Jr.) | 2022-23: Played every game... has 17 points and 19 rebounds with 5 assists and 5 blocks | Transferred from Alabama. He began the 2022-23 with three seasons to play. "Keon has been a joy so far. Most young bigs want to be good at so many things that they never excel at any one thing. His motor gives him an identity as a player. He brings a relentless approach to the floor that separates him as a rebounder and defender. That along with his budding skillset and work ethic, the future is bright for Keon" – Head Coach Rob Lanier (Alabama: 29 games, 1.1 pts, 0.8 rebs, 57.7% FGs)

Xavier Foster (7-0, 230, F, So.) | 2022-23: Played 5 games | Transferred from Iowa State He began the 2022-23 with four seasons to play. "Xavier has a world of talent. I'm so excited for him and about him. It's just a matter of time and experience before we begin to see his true capabilities. He's a young man with a very bright future." – Head Coach Rob Lanier (Iowa State: 7 games, 4.0 pts, 1.7 rebs)

Jefferson Koulibaly (6-3, 185, G, So.) | 2022-23: Played 9 games... has 13 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists | Transferred from Washington State. He began 2022-23 with three seasons to play.  "Jefferson brings a work ethic and competitive spirit that is essential to our program. He's a strong on-ball defender and a skilled open-court offensive threat. I love what Jefferson brings" – Head Coach Rob Lanier (Washington State: 16 games, 2.6 pts, 0.9 rebs, 6-20 3FGs)

Emory Lanier (6-3, 180, G, Jr.) | 2022-23: Played 9 games... has 5 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists | Transferred from Davidson. He began 2022-23 with three seasons to play.  "Obviously, I know Emory better than I could know anyone else that I've coached. So, here's what I know, he's a winner. He has always immersed himself into the team and put winning first. His skill, his effort and his overall character will make him an asset to our team and program on and off the court." – Head Coach Rob Lanier (Davidson 2021-22: 16 games, A-10 Champions, NCAA Tournament)

Darius McBride (6-4, 165, G, Jr.) | "Darius brings undeniable strength, and athleticism to our team. He's improved as a shooter and has the ability to be extremely impactful as a defender and rebounder. He has worked very hard this off-season despite working through an injury." – Head Coach Rob Lanier (2021-22: played 10 games)

Mo Njie (6-10, 245, C, So.) | 2022-23: Played 9 games... Has 15 points, 18 rebounds and 4 blocks | Transferred from Eastern Michigan. He began 2022-23 with three seasons to play. "Of all of our players, Mo made the biggest improvement from the start of the summer to the end. I'm excited to see how he builds on that progress. Mo has the size, strength, athleticism and coachability to have significant impact for this team. I'm excited to see his continued growth." – Head Coach Rob Lanier (Eastern Michigan: 6.6 pts, 5.3 rebs, 61.9% FGs, 4-8 3FGs)

Zach Nutall (6-3, 185, G, Sr.) | 2022-23: Started every game... averaging 13.3 points (16th AAC), 2.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists... averaging 1.9 threes (14th AAC) and shooting 76.5% on FTs (12th AAC) | "Zach is a key to our team. He's a leader by nature. I expect big things from him with regard to production through his example as a program veteran player." – Head Coach Rob Lanier (2021-22: 33 games with 29 starts, 6.8 pts, 3.7 rebs, 1.5 asts, 32.5% 3FGs)

Efe Odigie (6-9, 240, F, Sr.) | 2022-23: Played every game (started 9)... averaging 8.8 points, 8.9 rebounds (1st AAC, 41st NCAA)... has 3 double-doubles (3rd AAC) | Transferred from Troy. He began the 2022-23 with only one season to play. "I've seen up close the effect that Efe can have on winning having competed against him in the Sun Belt Conference. He is proven and his ability to score, rebound and defend along with his feel for the game make him an immediate impact player!" – Head Coach Rob Lanier (Troy: 11.5 pts, 6.7 rebs, 48.4% FGs, 81.0% FTs, All-Sun Belt 1st Team, NABC All-District 2nd Team, Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year, Sun Belt All-Tournament)

Zhuric Phelps (6-5, 200, G, So.) | 2022-23: Started every game... averaging 19.5 points (2nd AAC, 31st NCAA), 4.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.7 steals (6th AAC)... shooting 41.8% overall... AAC Weekly Honor Roll (N28) | "From a talent standpoint…size, skill, athleticism, and competitiveness… Zhuric is one of the more talented guards I've ever had the opportunity to coach. The challenge for any young player is to develop a level of consistency and reliability. I'm confident that he will figure it all out." – Head Coach Rob Lanier (2021-22: 3.8 pts, 1.9 rebs, 1.0 asts, 0.8 stls, AAC Freshman of the Week (Dec. 13))

Jalen Smith (6-4, 175, G, So.) | 2022-23: Played every game... 3.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists | "Jalen established himself as one of our hardest workers right away. He carries himself with a tremendous sense of humility. He's a bit of a throwback. I expect big things from Jalen due to his versatile skill set, his elite athleticism, and tremendous defensive ability." – Head Coach Rob Lanier (2021-22: 8 starts, 2.0 pts, 0.9 rebs, 38.9% 3FGs)

Stefan Todorovic (6-8, 190, F, So.) | 2022-23: Played every game (7 starts)... 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds... 36.4% on threes (8th AAC) | "Stefan has an elite skill. He can shoot the basketball at an extremely high-level. Once he adapts to focus on becoming a strong defensive contributor, his impact will be felt. He has it in him for sure so I have little doubt he will show the growth." – Head Coach Rob Lanier (2021-22: 2.9 pts, 1.2 rebs, 43.5% 3FGs)

Trey Utter (6-0, 160, G, Fr.) | "Trey has caught on quickly. He's smart, tough and knows how to play. He has a quiet confidence about him and an overall understanding of the game that allows him to bring tremendous value to our program" – Head Coach Rob Lanier (Argyle HS: 31-7, 4A Defensive Player of the Year, 8.0 pts, 5.0 asts, 40% 3FGs, 2020-21 UIL 4A State Champs)

Samuell Williamson (6-7, 210, F, Sr.) | 2022-23: Started every game... 7.9 points, 7.2 rebounds (4th AAC), 1.1 blocks (10th AAC), 1.3 steals (12th AAC) and 2.0 assists... has one double-double | Transferred from Louisville. He began 2022-23 with two seasons to play.  "This is a win-win. Sam brings so much to the table for us and I believe our program is ideal for him at this stage of his career, His work ethic, versatility and competitiveness will allow for him to make a tremendous impact." – Head Coach Rob Lanier (Louisville: 5.6 pts, 3.7 rebs, 45.6% FGs)

Ricardo Wright (6-4, 185, G, Jr.) | 2022-23: Played 9 games | Transferred from Marist.  He began 2022-23 with three seasons to play. "Ricardo is a proven scorer. He has a real knack for putting the ball in the basket. He also has the competitive spirit to match that offensive skill. Once he elevates his commitment to the defensive end, he will become a complete player we can rely on. I'm excited to see Ricardo's growth." – Head Coach Rob Lanier (Marist: 13.6 pts, 4.2 rebs, 1.7 asts, 37.4% 3FGs (6th MAAC), 70.9% FTs, 1.9 3FGs/game (8th MAAC))

Jackson Young (6-2, 190, G, So.) | 2022-23: Played one game | Transferred from Hawai'i Pacific. He began 2022-23 with three seasons to play. "Jackson has been terrific. He has an obvious love for the game and really stands out as a teammate. He's competitive and understands what goes into winning. He also brings unique experience to our team in his role, and we could see that value as soon as he arrived in our program." – Head Coach Rob Lanier (Hawai'i Pacific 24 games, 6.3 pts, 2.0 rebs, 0.8 asts, 38.0% 3FGs)

2022-23 INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:
- American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll
     N28 - Zhuric Phelps (20.0 pts, 6.0 rebs, 4.0 asts, 2.5 stls, 2.0 blks in 2 games)

2021-22 INDIVIDUAL AWARDS (returnees):
- American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Week
     D13 - Zhuric Phelps (13 pts, 2 rebs, 2 stls, 1 ast, 6-8 FG, 1-1 3FG in win vs Dayton)


AAC HONORS: SMU leads The American in All-AAC honors (19) and Players Of The Year (4)
AAC Players of the Year
4 - SMU 
2 - Cincinnati 
1 - Connecticut, Houston, Memphis, Wichita State
All-AAC Honors
19 - SMU
17 - Houston
14 - Cincinnati 
12 – Memphis


SMU ATHLETICS CELEBRATES RECORD FUNDRAISING YEAR: The SMU Mustang Club broke the all-time fundraising record with $73 million in gift receipts and new commitments for the 2022 fiscal year, which ended May 31. The totals represent an increase of nearly $47 million from the previous fiscal year. It is the first fiscal year in which cash donations and commitments have eclipsed $70 million since the Mustang Club was founded in 1935. Through the generosity of Mustang donors, cash gifts rose 71% from fiscal year 2021 and totaled $36 million. The best-ever performance resulted from the contributions of 3,105 donors.

MUSTANG STUDENT-ATHLETES & NIL: SMU Basketball student-athletes benefit from Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) opportunities through SMU Athletics' conference-leading BOLD NIL program. SMU topped the AAC for NIL Deals among INFLCR partners, ranking No. 1 in Total Transactions, Total Transaction Value and Average Transaction Value. SMU student-athletes have over 270 transactions for over $609,000 with an average transaction value of over $2,200.

SMU ATHLETICS LAUNCHES NEW STUDENT-ATHLETE SUCCESS DEPARTMENT: As part of its goal of Shaping Champions and preparing students for life, SMU Athletics proudly announced the creation of a new Student-Athlete Success Department. This new department encompasses all student-development-centered efforts such as Life After Ball, SAAC and community service initiatives. Additionally, it will house NIL Education and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programming. Due to a generous donation from Suzanne and Glenn Youngkin, SMU Athletics will be able to grow staffing in these critical areas in our support of our student-athletes.

BOLD - BIG OPPORTUNITIES LIVE IN DALLAS: As part of its goal of Shaping Champions and preparing students for life, SMU Athletics proudly announced the addition of its BOLD (Big Opportunities Live in Dallas) Program to its suite of studentathlete development tools, with the goal of helping student-athletes navigate and capitalize on new Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) legislation. BOLD will, among other things, provide SMU student-athletes with the means to navigate the evolving NIL landscape. The BOLD program incorporates INFLCR, a comprehensive NIL education and compliance solution, and campus resources from the Cox School of Business, the Dedman School of Law, and the Meadows School of the Arts. While the acronym BOLD emphasizes SMU's ties to the City of Dallas, the word is also important in its ties to SMU and the University's Brand Promise, which states, "For the bold, curious, and creative, SMU is the comprehensive research university whose enterprising spirit in a vibrant community empowers leaders to tackle grand challenges."

DAVID B. MILLER COURT: On Dec. 5, 2018, SMU named the Moody Coliseum court after David B. Miller, alumnus and vice-chair of the Board of Trustees. A two-time SMU graduate, Miller earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration from Edwin L. Cox School of Business. As an undergraduate, he was a three-year starter and letterman on the varsity basketball team and a member of the 1971-72 Southwest Conference Co-Championship team. Since 2011, Mr. Miller and his wife, Carolyn Lacy Miller, have given $20 million toward the expansion and renovation of Moody Coliseum as well as the construction of the Miller Event Center. He has served on the SMU Board of Trustees since 2008 and also serves as chairman of the Cox Executive Board. He is a recipient of Distinguished Alumni Awards from both the University and the Cox School. In 2009, Miller was honored with the Silver Anniversary Mustang Award by the SMU Lettermen's Association. He is also a recipient of the Methodist Health System Foundation's 2017 Folsom Leadership Award. Miller is a co-founder and partner of EnCap Investments L.P., a private equity firm based in Houston and Dallas. He also is the president of the David B. Miller Family Foundation, which he established in 2006. In addition to donating to academic and athletic programs at SMU, the Miller Family Foundation contributes to numerous charitable organizations. Carolyn Miller is vice president of the foundation. The Millers have been generous long-time donors to SMU. Their gifts have created the David B. Miller Endowed Professorship in Cox School of Business, the SMU-in-Taos Campus Center, the Don Jackson Center for Financial Studies in Cox and the EnCap Investments & LCM Group Alternative Asset Management Center, also in Cox, as well as numerous general university and school-specific scholarship funds. They also have provided support for the Crum Basketball Center, the men's basketball program and Circle of Champions in the Department of Athletics. Before establishing EnCap, Mr. Miller served as co-CEO of MAZE Exploration Inc., a Denver-based oil and gas company that he co-founded in 1981. Mr. Miller began his professional career with Republic National Bank of Dallas, ultimately serving as vice president and manager of the bank's wholly-owned subsidiary, Republic Energy Finance Corporation.