SMU (3-0) vs Texas A&M (2-0)
Moody Coliseum – Dallas, Texas
Tuesday, November 14, 2023 – 7:00 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN+
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The Mustangs host [13/15] Texas A&M on Tuesday to finish a season-opening four-game homestand. SMU is 3-0 with an average margin of 22.3 points in wins over SAGU (82-63), Western Illinois (90-53) and Lamar (78-67).

The Mustangs have five scorers averaging at least eight points in Zhuric Phelps (13.7), Chuck Harris (12.0), Tyreek Smith (11.3), Keon Ambrose-Hylton (10.0) and Samuell Williamson (8.0). Smith is leading in rebounds (8.7) followed by Ambrose-Hylton (6.7) and Williamson (6.3). B.J. Edwards has team bests of 3.3 steals and 5.7 assists per game (17 assists / 1 turnover) while also grabbing 5.3 rebounds. SMU is leading the AAC in steals (13.0, 10th NCAA), blocked shots (6.3), offensive rebounds (17.3) and fast-break points (20.7) while ranking second in scoring defense (61.0), scoring margin (22.3), rebound margin (11.3) and turnover margin (7.3).

The Mustangs return three starters in Zhuric Phelps (preseason All-AAC Second Team), Samuell Williamson and Jalen Smith plus a transfer class ranked as high as No. 2 in The American. In August of 2023, the Mustangs went on a 10-day trip to Spain, going 3-0 with games in Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona. The team visited several historic sites including Madrid's Mercado de San Miguel, Plaza Mayor and Royal Palace as well a tour of Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, the home of Real Madrid, the Port of Valencia and a tour at La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.

LAST GAME (W, 78-67 vs Lamar on Nov. 9): DALLAS -- — Chuck Harris had 18 points in SMU's 78-67 win against Lamar on Thursday night. Harris was 4 of 9 shooting, including 1 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 9 for 9 from the line for the Mustangs (3-0). Tyreek Smith added 13 points while shooting 3 of 4 from the field and 7 for 9 from the line, and he also had seven rebounds and four blocks. Emory Lanier had 11 points and was 3 of 5 shooting (3 for 4 from 3-point range). Cody Pennebaker led the way for the Cardinals (1-1) with 13 points and seven rebounds. Chris Pryor added 10 points for Lamar. Ja'Sean Jackson also put up nine points and two steals.

UP NEXT: The Mustangs play in the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off Nov. 20-22. The Mustangs face West Virginia on Monday before facing Virginia or Wisconsin on Wednesday. SMU follows that with three straight home games beginning with ULM on Nov. 26. 

MUSTANGS GO 3-0 IN SPAIN: SMU men's basketball finished 3-0 on its three-game exhibition tour in Spain. The Mustangs won 88-77 in Madrid, 125-66 in Valencia and 92-60 in Barcelona. For the three games, the Mustangs shot 50.2% from the field, averaged 15.7 steals and had a plus-21.7 rebound margin (55.7-34.0). Samuell Williamson averaged 16.0 points to lead the team in scoring, while pulling down 6.3 rebounds per game and shooting 62.5% (20-32). Zhuric Phelps added 15.7 points per game while totaling seven assists and six steals in the three contests. Tennessee transfer B.J. Edwards led with 6.0 assists per game while also averaging 5.3 points and 6.0 rebounds with a 3.0 assist-to-turnover ratio.  Edwards nearly had a triple-double (10 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists) in the game in Valencia. Jalen Smith averaged 8.3 points and finished with seven assists against zero turnovers while knocking down two of his five three point tries. Georgia State transfer Ja'Heim Hudson contributed 9.3 points and 7.0 rebounds, recording his tour-best 12 boards in the final contest. Butler transfer Chuck Harris scored 11.0 per game and averaged 2.0 assists while hitting 5-of-6 on free throws. Oklahoma State transfer Tyreek Smith a team-best 8.0 rebounds per game with 6.7 points. Georgetown transfer Denver Anglin added 6.7 point and an assist per outing. Xavier Foster had a team-high four blocked shots in the three games while adding 4.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per matchup. Keon Ambrose-Hylton shot 56.3% from the field (9-16) while averaging 6.0 points and 3.3 rebounds. Ricardo Wright added 5.3 points and 1.3 assists. Mo Njie contributed 3.0 rebounds, including his tour-best seven in the win in Valencia. Emory Lanier had eight points, five assists and two steals for the trip. Jackson Young knocked down a pair of threes in Barcelona. Trey Utter scored in his first appearance in the victory in Valencia.
 
2022-23 IN REVIEW: SMU finished 10-22 in the first season under Head Coach Rob Lanier, playing 14 games decided by six points or less (5-9). The Mustangs played in the championship game of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, falling to Hawaii 58-57 on a buzzer-beater. Zhuric Phelps earned an AAC Player of the Week honor, three AAC Weekly Honor Roll nods and a spot on the Diamond Head Classic All-Tournament Team. Samuell Williamson earned one AAC Weekly Honor Roll. Zhuric Phelps averaged a team-best 17.5 points (6th AAC). Phelps also averaged 3.2 assists (11th AAC) and 2.3 steals (1st AAC, 16th NCAA). Zach Nutall was second for the Mustangs scoring 13.2 per game (19th AAC). He made 2.0 threes per game (13th AAC). Efe Odigie added 11.3 points, Samuell Williamson 9.3 per game. Williamson led the Mustangs at 7.3 rebounds (6th AAC) followed by Odigie at 6.9 (9th AAC). Odigie and Williamson each had six double-doubles (T-6th AAC). Williamson averaged 1.4 steals (11th AAC) and 0.8 blocks per game (14th AAC). 

THE SCHEDULE: The non-conference schedule is highlighted by home games against Dayton and [13/15] Texas A&M, road match-ups with Arizona State and Florida State plus the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off with West Virginia, [rv/rv] Wisconsin and [rv/25] Virginia. SMU will play five AAC opponents twice: ECU, [rv/rv] Memphis, North Texas, Tulane and UAB. The Mustangs will play home games only against Charlotte, Temple, Tulsa and UTSA, and play road games only versus [10/10] Florida Atlantic, Rice, South Florida and Wichita State. The American Men's Basketball Championship is March 13-17 (Wednesday-Sunday) at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth.

PORTAL POWER: 247 Sports ranked SMU as the No. 42 transfer class and the No. 2 class in the American Athletic Conference (Memphis). The transfers inculded two ranked as four-star (B.J. Edwards - Tennessee, Chuck Harris - Butler) and three as three-star (Denver Anglin - Georgetown, Ja'Heim Hudson - Georgia State, Tyreek Smith - Oklahoma State) additions.

STEALING THE SHOW: Zhuric Phelps has 101 career steals, which is 27th at SMU. He had 68 steals in 2022-23, averaging 2.3 per game (1st AAC, 16th NCAA). That was fifth in a season at SMU. Phelps had a career-high 7 steals at Wichita State on Feb. 12, which tied for third in a game at SMU and was the most since Nic Moore had 7 vs Texas Southern 11/26/2014. Phelps also had 6 at Tulsa on Jan. 18 as well as 5 against Cincinnati on Jan. 14 and five at USF on Feb. 25.

THE SERIES VS TEXAS A&M (91-88 / 90-88 +): This is the 180th meeting between the two schools with
SMU holding a 91-88 on-court advantage. The Mustangs went 85-81 in league games when the two programs played in the Southwest Conference. SMU took home third-place in the Corpus Christi Challenge (55-52) the last time the teams met on Nov. 30, 2013. (+ Win in 2013-14 vacated)

LAST SEASON VS TEXAS A&M (L, 83-64 at Texas A&M on Nov. 30) COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) -- Henry Coleman III scored 12 of his 23 points in the second half when Texas A&M pulled away to beat SMU 83-64 on Wednesday night in a rare meeting between former Southwest Conference rivals. Wade Taylor IV added 13 points and a career-high nine assists, and Julius Marble had 10 points for the Aggies (5-2), who won their third straight game. Zhuric Phelps scored 23 points with five 3-pointers for the Mustangs (3-4). Samuell Williamson and Stefan Todorovic added 10 points each. A three-point play by Williamson got the Mustangs within five in the second half before a 15-2 run by the Aggies. Manny Obaseki and Coleman had four points apiece in the run and Taylor capped it with a 3-pointer to lead 67-49 with 8:50 remaining. The lead grew to as many as 24. The Aggies, after shooting just 33% in the first half, hit 50% in the second. They scored 24 points off 19 SMU turnovers, including 11 steals. Texas A&M led 45-36 at halftime despite 17 points from Phelps. The Aggies built a 12-point lead with three minutes remaining in the half after a 16-5 run led by seven points from Coleman. This was just the fourth meeting between the former Southwest Conference rivals since the league disbanded in 1996. The teams have been meeting since 1918 with SMU leading the series 91-88.

HISTOR-ACC DAY: SMU celebrated one of the most important moments in the school's history on Sept. 1 when it received and accepted an invitation to join the Atlantic Coast Conference. With the additions of SMU, Cal & Stanford, the ACC will have 18 members.

2022-23 AAC HONORS - ZHURIC PHELPS (POTW DEC. 26, HONOR ROLL NOV 28, FEB. 13, FEB. 20): Zhuric Phelps was named to the Feb. 20 AAC Weekly Honor Roll after averaging 18.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 2.5 steals in games against [2/2] Houston and the win over ECU. That made it back-to-back honors after being on the Feb. 13 AAC Weekly Honor Roll following 22.5 points, 5.5 steals, 5.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds in two games. He hit the game-winning free throw in the 72-71 win against Temple. Phelps was named the AAC Player of the Week on Dec. 26 after averaging 19.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.7 steals in the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, earning all-tournament honors. His first AAC Weekly Honor Roll was Nov. 28 after averaging 20.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.0 blocks in two games. Phelps has four career AAC Weekly Honor. He was the conference's Freshman of the Week on Dec. 13, 2021. SAMUELL WILLIAMSON  (HONOR ROLL JAN. 2): Samuell Williamson was named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll on Jan. 2. He had 17 points with 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocked shots and a steal in the 92-67 AAC-opening win over Tulsa on New Year's Day.

PONY UP DALLAS: In just seven days after announcing the move into the Atlantic Coast Conference on Sept. 1, SMU raised $100 million to support the Mustangs' transition to the ACC in 2024. The generous early commitments from a group of thirty donors that includes trustees and key donors – alumni and non-alumni alike – enables SMU to align and compete with an elite group of national institutions with powerhouse athletic programs, benefiting both SMU Athletics and the entire University community. The move to the new conference is also creating additional impact. Mustang fans have responded enthusiastically to the planned move, with men's basketball season ticket sales jumping 30% in the last week and hundreds of new football season tickets being sold as well. Notably, the move has immediately raised SMU's profile, with media coverage of the move generating more than $163 million in advertising value in the first three days. In that same small window, SMU also experienced a 103% increase in visitors to its undergraduate admissions homepage.

HEAD COACH ROB LANIER... is in his second season  at SMU after arriving from Georgia State. He has more than 30 years as a collegiate coach, including eight seasons as a head coach. His teams have made 12 NCAA Tournaments 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. 

Following his first season on the Hilltop, which included a runner-up finish at the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, Lanier brought in a transfer class ranked as high as No. 42 nationally and No. 2 in The American. In August of 2023, the Mustangs went 3-0 in Spain with games in Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona. The team visited several historic sites including Madrid's Mercado de San Miguel, Plaza Mayor and Royal Palace as well a tour of Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, the home of Real Madrid, the Port of Valencia and a tour at La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. 

After arriving at SMU, Lanier was named a training camp coach for the 2022 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. 

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.

SMU BASKETBALL COACHES SHOW PRESENTED BY THE COX SCHOOL OF BUSINESS: The SMU Basketball Coaches Show presented by the Cox School of Business features SMU Men's Basketball Head Coach Rob Lanier and Women's Basketball Head Coach Toyelle Wilson beginning Monday, Jan. 8, at 7 p.m. at Ozona Grill and Bar. Ozona Grill and Bar is located at 4615 Greenville Ave., just a short distance from the SMU campus. Fans can watch LIVE video on the SMU Mustangs Facebook page, or listen on SMUMustangs.com and on the SMU Mobile App. SHOW DATES: Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29, Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26, Mar. 4,  11

MEET THE MUSTANGS:

Keon Ambrose-Hylton (6-6, 220, F, Sr.) | Summer 2023 in Spain: In three games, shot 56.3% from the field (9-16) while averaging 6.0 points and 3.3 rebounds. 2022-23: Played all 32 games... averaged 3.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.7 blocked shots... Hit 65.7% on FGs. 

Denver Anglin (6-1, 185, G, So.) | Summer 2023 in Spain: In three games, averaged 6.7 points, 2.0 rebounds and an assist per outing. 2022-23 at Georgetown: Played in 18 games.

B.J. Edwards (6-3, 185, G, So.) | Summer 2023 in Spain: In three games, he averaged a team-best 6.0 assists with 5.3 points and 6.0 rebounds and a 3.0 assist-to-turnover ratio… nearly had a triple-double in the win in Valencia (10 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists). 2022-23 at Tennessee: Played 14 games for a team that made the NCAA Sweet 16.

Xavier Foster (7-0, 225, F, Jr.) | Summer 2023 in Spain: In three games, had a team-high four blocked shots in the three games while adding 4.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per matchup. 2022-23: Played 10 games... had 4 points and 4 rebounds.

Chuck Harris (6-4, 190, G, Sr.): 2023-24: Scored 1000th career point in the win vs Lamar 11/9 | Summer 2023 in Spain: In three games, averaged 11.0 points and 2.0 assists while hitting 5-of-6 on free throws. 2022-23 at Butler: played in 29 of 32 games (missed 3 due to injury) with 24 starts…Averaged 10.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 steals while hitting 34.0% on 3FGs...Team-high 85.3% on FTs (7th Big East)… Led team in scoring six times while scoring in double figures 16 times...Three 20-point games… Eight games with 5+ rebounds and four games with 3+ steals.

Ja'Heim Hudson (6-7, 220, G, Sr.) | Summer 2023 in Spain: In three games, averaged 9.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and a steal… Recorded his tour-best 12 boards in the final contest at Barcelona. 2022-23 at Georgia State: Averaged team-best 6.9 rebounds (12th Sun Belt) with 10.1 points… Led the team with 22 blocked shots and was third with 27 steals ... Had three double-doubles ... Scored in double figures 13 times and grabbed double-figure rebounds in five games.

Emory Lanier (6-4, 190, G, Sr.) | Summer 2023 in Spain: In three games, he totaled eight points, five assists and two steals. 2022-23: Played in 27 games... totaled 46 points, 22 rebounds, 13 assists and 8 steals... AWARDS: NABC Honors Court... AAC All-Academic Team.

Mo Njie (6-11, 250, C, Jr.) | Summer 2023 in Spain: In three games, averaged 3.0 rebounds and a blocked shot… Had a tour-best seven rebounds in the win in Valencia. 2022-23: Played in 25 games...had 42 points, 39 rebounds and 9 blocked shots.

Zhuric Phelps (6-5, 195, G, Jr.) | 2023-24: Recorded 100th career steal in the win ve Western Illinois 11/8... Preseason All-AAC Second Team. | Summer 2023 in Spain: In three games, averaged 15.7 points, 2.3 assists and 2.0 steals in just 18.0 minutes. 2023 NBA DRAFT: On April 12, Zhuric Phelps announced he would enter the NBA?Draft and maintain his collegiate eligibility. On May 24, he announced he would withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to SMU for his junior season. 2022-23: Started all 30 games he played... Averaged 17.5 points (6th AAC), 3.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, (11th AAC) 2.3 steals (1st AAC, 16th NCAA)... Scored 19+ in 17 games... Had 5+ assists 8 times, including 7 of last 13 games... Had 17 games with multiple steals... AWARDS: AAC Player of the Week (D26)...AAC Weekly Honor Roll (N28, F13, F20)... Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic All-Tournament Team (D22-25)... SMU SEASON RECORDS: 524 points (23rd), 2.3 steals (T-4th), 68 steals (4th).

Jalen Smith (6-2, 195, G, Jr.) | Summer 2023 in Spain: In three games, averaged 8.3 points and 2.3 assists without committing a turnover… Hit 64.7% on field goals (11-17) and 2-5 on threes. 2022-23: Played all 32 games with 23 starts...averaged 2.6 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists with a 1.8 assist-to-turnover ratio... Scored 10+ five times.

Tyreek Smith (6-8, 225, F, Sr.) | Summer 2023 in Spain: In three games, averaged a team-best 8.0 rebounds with 6.7 points and a block per game… Had 9 points and a team-high 12 rebounds in the opening win at Madrid. 2022-23 at Oklahoma State: Played all 36 games with 9 starts as team made the NIT Quarterfinals… Averaged 5.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 0.9 blocked shots while shooting 59.7% from the field… Had seven games scoring 10+ and four games with 10+ rebounds (all in the last 5 games)… Had 2 double-doubles… Had multiple blocks 6 times.

Trey Utter (6-0, 160, G, So.) | Summer 2023 in Spain: Played in the last two games, scoring two points in his first appearance in the victory in Valencia. 2022-23: Played in 2 games...Made his SMU debut in the AAC-opening win vs Tulsa 1/1... AWARDS: AAC All-Academic Team.

Samuell Williamson (6-8, 205, F, Sr.) | Summer 2023 in Spain: In three games, averaged team-best 16.0 points with 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 2.0 assists while shooting 62.5% (20-32)… Game-high 26 points (12-17 FGs) with 7 rebounds in the win in Valencia. 2022-23: Played all 32 games with 30 starts... Averaged 9.3 points, 7.3 rebounds (6th AAC), 2.6 assists, 1.4 steals (11th AAC), 0.8 blocked shots.... Had 6 double-doubles (6th AAC)... Scored 10+ in 16 games... Had 7+ rebounds 17 times... 15 games with multiple steals... AWARDS: AAC Weekly Honor Roll (J2), AAC All-Academic Team.

Ricardo Wright (6-3, 185, G, Sr.) | Summer 2023 in Spain: In three games, averaged 5.3 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists. 2022-23: Played in 27 games... averaged 3.1 points and 0.8 rebounds with 9 assists and 6 steals... Shot b34.6% on 3FGs... Had 4 games with 10+ points.

Jackson Young (6-2, 185, G, Jr.) | Summer 2023 in Spain): Played in the last two games, hitting a pair of threes in finale in Barcelona and totaling two assists. 2022-23: Played in 5 games.