American Athletic Conference Championship – First Round
No. 10 SMU (10-21, 5-13 AAC)  vs. No. 7 UCF (17-13, 8-10 AAC)
Dickies Arena – Fort Worth, Texas
Thursday, March 9, 2023 – 1:30 p.m. CT
TV: ESPNU
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SMU Embracing 'New Season' At AAC Tournament
 
SMU is the No. 10 seed in The American Championship and faces No. 7 UCF in the first round Thursday at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth. The winner faces No. 2 Memphis in the quarterfinal round on Friday at 6 p.m.

SMU has won three conference tournament championships, including the 2015 and 2017 American Athletic Conference titles. Head Coach Rob Lanier led Georgia State to the 2022 Sun Belt Tournament championship and Siena to the 2002 MAAC Tournament title. 

The Mustangs had five score in double figures in the 97-74 loss at Cincinnati in the regular-season finale on Sunday. Zhuric Phelps had a team-high 17. Mo Njie had season highs of 14 points and six rebounds. Efe Odigie added 12 points and five rebounds, Samuell Williamson had 10 points with two steals, and Jalen Smith scored 10.

Zhuric Phelps is averaging a team-best 17.3 points (5th AAC). Phelps is also averaging 3.1 assists (13th AAC) and 2.2 steals (1st AAC, 18th NCAA). Zach Nutall is second for the Mustangs scoring 13.2 per game (18th AAC). He is making 1.9 threes per game (12th AAC). Efe Odigie is adding 11.4 points, Samuell Williamson 9.3 per game. Williamson is leading the Mustangs at 7.2 rebounds (6th AAC) followed by Odigie at 6.9 (8th AAC). Odigie has six double-doubles (4th AAC) and Williamson has five this season (7th AAC). Williamson is also averaging 1.5 steals (8th AAC) and 0.8 blocks per game (12th AAC). 

NCAA ACTIVE CAREER LEADERS (Through March 6): Zach Nutall has 1,852 career points, which is 38th among active players in NCAA Division I for career scoring. He has played 155 games (32nd), has 612 career rebounds (185th), 275 assists (247th), 144 steals (141st) and 253 threes made (58th). Efe Odigie is 54th among active players with 815 rebounds and 39th in career double-doubles with 23. Odigie also has 1,262 career points (276th) in 128 games (290th). Samuell Williamson is up to 555 career rebounds (255th). 

BALANCE: The Mustangs have had at least four score in double figures 12 times this season, 11 of those since the win over Utah State on Dec. 23. Six times this season the Mustangs Had five score in double figures (vs Utah State 12/23, Tulsa 1/1, Tulane 1/11, USF 1/29, ECU 2/19, at Cincinnati 3/5). Additionally, 10 different Mustangs have scored in double figures at least once.

PLAYING THEM CLOSE: The Mustangs have played 13 games decided by five points or fewer, going 5-8 in those games. SMU defeated Iona 85-81 on Dec. 22, Utah State 77-74 on Dec. 23, Tulsa 79-76 in overtime on Jan. 18 , USF 82-80 on Jan. 29 and Temple 72-71 on Feb. 8. The Mustangs have lost six games decided by five points or less, including AAC games at USF (71-67) on Feb. 25, at Wichita State (91-89 2OT) on Feb. 12, at ECU (77-72) on Feb. 4, against Wichita State (71-69) on Jan. 22 and versus Cincinnati (54-52) on Jan. 14. The Mustangs fell 58-57 on a buzzer-beater at Hawaii Dec. 25, 74-70 in OT to Louisiana on Nov. 22 and 69-68 to Jackson State on Dec. 3.

THE SCHEDULE (Through March 2): The non-conference slate included six teams that have been in the national polls. SMU played Dayton (then No. 24/25), TCU (No. 22/23), Texas A&M (18/18), Arizona State (previously top 25), New Mexico (as high as No. 21/22) and Utah State (receiving votes). SMU's NET non-conference strength of schedule is No. 51 and overall NET strength of schedule is No. 69. The American Athletic Conference 18-game league schedule includes home and away against Cincinnati, ECU, [1/1] Houston, Memphis (receiving votes), USF, Tulane (has received votes), Tulsa and Wichita State. SMU will have just a single match-up with Temple (has received votes) at home and UCF on the road.

STEALING THE SHOW: Zhuric Phelps has 65 steals this season and is averaging 2.2 per game (1st AAC, 18th NCAA). He is fifth in a season at SMU. Phelps had a career-high seven 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 six at Tulsa on Jan. 18 as well as five against Cincinnati on Jan. 14 and five at USF on Feb. 25.
SMU Season     Steals Average
    1    2.9    Gerald Lewis (Sr.), 1992-93 (79/27)
    2    2.4    Bryan Hopkins (Sr.), 2005-06 (52/22)
        2.4    Bryan Hopkins (Jr.), 2004-05 (59/25)
    4    2.3    Carl Wright (So.), 1983-84 (77/33)
        2.3    Carl Wright (Jr.), 1984-85 (76/33)
        2.3    Gerald Lewis (Jr.), 1991-92 (63/28)
    7    2.2    Willie Davis (Jr.), 1999-00 (67/30)
    —    2.2    Zhuric Phelps (So.), 2022-23
    8    2.1    Bryan Hopkins (Fr.), 2002-03 (61/29)
    9    2.0    Jeryl Sasser (So.), 1998-99 (60/30)
        2.0    Peter Lodwick (Sr.,) 1976-77 (53/27)
SMU Season Steals
    1     79    Gerald Lewis (Sr.), 1992-93
    2    77    Carl Wright (So.), 1983-84
    3    76    Carl Wright (Jr.), 1984-85
    4    67    Willie Davis (Jr.), 1999-00
    5    65    Zhuric Phelps (So.), 2022-23
SMU Single-Game Steals
    1    9    Bryan Hopkins, San Jose State, 2-10-2005
    2    8    Willie Davis, [15] Tulsa, 3-4-2000
    T3    7    Zhuric Phelps, at Wichita State, 2-12-2023 (7 other times)

LEADING THEM ALL: Twice this season, Zhuric Phelps has led or co-led the Mustangs in scoring, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks in the same game. He had 19 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and a block in the 77-74 win against [rv/rv] Utah State on Dec. 23. Phelps had 22 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and a block in the 80-65 home loss to [2/2] Houston on Feb. 16.

SEEING DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Efe Odigie has six double-doubles this season (3 in AAC games) and Samuell Williamson has five double-doubles (4 in AAC games).
SMU Season Double-Doubles In AAC Games
6 - Ben Moore, 2016-17
5 - Ben Moore, 2015-16
5 - Marcus Weathers, 2021-22
4 - Markus Kennedy, 2013-14
4 - Sterling Brown, 2016-17
4 - Feron Hunt, 2020-21
4 - Samuell Williamson, 2022-23
3 - Yanick Moreira, 2014-15
3 - Jimmy Whitt Jr., 2018-19
3 - Tyson Jolly, 2019-20
3 - Efe Odigie, 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.

AAC WEEKLY HONOR ROLL - SAMUELL WILLIAMSON  (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.

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.

ROB LANIER IN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENTS: He has a 12-5 record in conference tournament games and has won two championships. Last season, he led Georgia State to the 2022 Sun Belt Tournament title by winning three games in three days. His 2001-02 Siena team won four games in four days to claim the 2002 MAAC Championship.

COACHSPEAK.NET: Head Coach Rob Lanier runs the site as a platform for coaches from all levels across all sports to express themselves on a wide range of topics. It began as an idea in the spring of 2016 and became a reality in 2017. This is a not a site about Strategy, Instruction or Coaching philosophy but it certainly can and will explore those areas. This is a site about people. Coach Lanier has also written articles for the site:
TWO STEP by Rob Lanier 
https://www.coachspeak.net/two-step-by-rob-lanier/
RECALLING MY NBA DAYS…ALL 5 OF THEM by Rob Lanier
https://www.coachspeak.net/recalling-my-nba-days-all-5-of-them-by-rob-lanier/

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. 2, 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 also catch LIVE video on the SMU Mustangs Facebook page, or listen on SMUMustangs.com and on the SMU Mobile App. REMAINING DATES: Feb. 13, Feb. 20, Feb. 27, Mar. 6

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. In addition, the 2023-24 schedule includes home games with Dayton and Texas A&M. 

HAWAIIAN AIRLINES DIAMOND HEAD CLASSIC FINALIST: The Mustangs made a run to the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic championship game. SMU won 85-81 over Iona in the quarterfinal on Dec. 22 and 77-74 in the semifinal over Utah State. SMU fell to Hawaii, the event host, 58-57 on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in the final on Christmas Day. In the tournament, the Mustangs shot 50.6% from the field, 36.8% on threes and 78.6% on free throws.

LAST GAME (L, 97-74 at Cincinnati on March 5): CINCINNATI (AP) -- David DeJulius' 30 points led Cincinnati past SMU 97-74 on Sunday. Dejulius also contributed six assists for the Bearcats (20-11, 11-7 American Athletic Conference). Landers Nolley II scored 24 points and added five rebounds. Jeremiah Davenport was 4 of 9 shooting (3 for 7 from distance) to finish with 12 points. The Mustangs (10-21, 5-13) were led in scoring by Zhuric Phelps, who finished with 17 points. SMU also got 14 points and six rebounds from Mo Njie. Efe Odigie also put up 12 points.
POSTGAME NOTES
- SMU had 5 score in double figures: Mo Njie (14), Efe Odigie (12), Zhuric Phelps (17), Jalen Smith (10), Samuell Williamson (10) | 12th time with at least four scoring in double figures, 11 of the past 20 games | 6th time with at least 5 scoring in double figures

THE SERIES VS UCF (14-11) (12-11 +): The Mustangs lost the lone matchup this season after winning the only meeting in both 2020-21 and 2021-22. The Mustangs and Knights split the season each of 2018-19 and 2019-20. SMU did not fall in the first eight matchups as AAC opponents before UCF won three straight. SMU defeated the Knights 70-59 in its only American Athletic Conference Tournament matchup, a semifinal on March 11, 2017. The series started in 2005 when the two schools were members of Conference USA. (+ wins in 2013-14 vacated)

LAST TIME VS UCF (L, 85-53 at UCF on Jan. 8): ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Ithiel Horton scored 21 points as UCF beat SMU 85-53 on Sunday. Horton was 7-of-14 shooting, including 4 for 9 from distance, and went 3 for 4 from the line for the Knights (12-4, 3-1 American Athletic Conference). Taylor Hendricks scored 13 points while going 5 of 8 (1 for 3 from distance), and added eight rebounds. Tyem Freeman recorded 13 points and shot 4 of 5 from the field and 3 for 6 from the line. The Mustangs (6-10, 1-2) were led in scoring by Ricardo Wright, who finished with 13 points. Efe Odigie added 11 points for SMU. In addition, Keon Ambrose-Hylton finished with nine points. UCF took the lead with 16:16 left in the first half and did not relinquish it. The score was 34-25 at halftime, with Horton racking up 12 points. UCF extended its lead to 66-39 during the second half, fueled by a 9-0 scoring run. Freeman scored a team-high 11 points in the second half as his team closed out the win. 

THE SERIES VS MEMPHIS (15-18 on Court) (+14-18 Official): SMU dropped bot meetings this season, but has won five of the past nine and 11 of the past 17 matchups. The Mustangs had won six straight with sweeps in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 before dropping the only matchup in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. The Mustangs swept Memphis en route to the 2016-17 AAC title, opening conference play with a 58- 54 win at Memphis before rounding off the regular season with a 103-62 rout to claim the outright conference title on Senior Day. The Mustangs have lost 4 of the 16 regular-season matchups against Memphis since both teams joined The American.

LAST MEETING VS MEMPHIS (L, 81-62 vs [rv/-] Memphis on March 2): DALLAS (AP) -- Kendric Davis totaled 23 points and 10 assists to propel Memphis to an 81-62 victory over SMU on Thursday night. Davis added four steals for the Tigers (23-7, 13-4 American Athletic Conference). Damaria Franklin hit three 3-pointers and scored 15. DeAndre Williams had 13 points. Zach Nutall led the Mustangs (10-20, 5-12) with 15 points, six rebounds and two blocks. Samuell Williamson added 14 points, 11 rebounds and three steals. Zhuric Phelps had 10 points. Memphis took the lead with 13:09 left in the first half and never looked back. The score was 50-37 at halftime. NOTES: Samuell Williamson's 5th double-double of the season; SMU had 10 steals

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)
Xavier 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, 240, F, Sr.)  | 2022-23: Played 16 games... totaled 9 points and 20 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 (3 starts)... averaging 3.5 points (16 vs Iona 12/22) and 2.9 rebounds (9 at Tulsa 1/18) with 21 total blocks (0.7 per game, 14th AAC) | 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 (6-11, 235, F, So.) | 2022-23: Played 10 games... totaled 4 points and 4 rebounds | 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, 190, G, So.) | 2022-23: Played 18 games... has 28 points, 16 rebounds, 12 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, 190, G, Jr.) | 2022-23: Played 26 games... has 46 points (11 vs Tulsa 1/1), 22 rebounds and 13 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, 200, G, Jr.) | 2022-23: Played 10 games... has 3 points and 4 rebounds | "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 (6-11, 245, C, So.) | 2022-23: Played 24 games... Has 38 points (14 at Cincinnati 3/5) and 27 rebounds (6 at Cincinnati 3/5) with 8 total 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 (6-4, 200, G, Sr.) | 2022-23: Started every game... averaging 13.2 points (18th AAC, five 20+ games), 2.9 rebounds (season-high 7 at Wichita State), 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals ... averaging 1.9 threes (12th AAC) and shooting and 75.8% on FTs | "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 (6-8, 245, F, Sr.) | 2022-23: Played every game (started 30)... averaging 11.4 points (three 20+ games), 6.9 rebounds (8th AAC)... has 6 double-doubles (4th AAC)... shooting 50.2% on FGs (9th 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, 195, G, So.) | 2022-23: Started all 29 games played (missed at UCF 1/8, vs Tulane 1/11)... averaging 17.3 points (5th AAC) (19+ points 16 times), 3.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists (13th AAC) (career high 10 vs ECU 2/19), 2.2 steals (1st AAC, 18th NCAA) (7 at Wichita State 2/12, 6 at Tulsa 1/18, 5 vs Cincinnati 1/14, 5 at USF 2/25)... AAC Player of the Week (D26), AAC Weekly Honor Roll (N28, F13, F20) | "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, 190, G, So.) | 2022-23: Played every game (22 starts)... 4.5 points (career-high 13 vs USF 1/29), 1.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists (7 vs Tulsa 1/1) | "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, 205, F, So.) | 2022-23: Played 29 games (7 starts - missed 1/1 vs Tulsa due to injury)... 5.7 points (career-high 27 vs Tulane 1/11), 2.5 rebounds (10 vs Tulane 1/11)... 32.3% on threes... career highs of 27 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals and a block vs Tulane 1/11. | "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.) | Played 2 games | "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 (6-8, 200, F, Sr.) | 2022-23: Played every game (29 starts)... 9.3 points, 7.2 rebounds (6th AAC), 0.8 blocks (12th AAC), 1.5 steals (8th AAC) and 2.6 assists... has 5 double-doubles (7th AAC)... AAC Weekly Honor Roll (J2) | 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 (6-3, 185, G, Jr.) | 2022-23: Played 26 games... Averaging 3.0 points (10+ in 4 AAC games) with 17 rebounds and 7 assists... 34.0% on threes | 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, 185, G, So.) | 2022-23: Played 5 games | 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 Player of the Week
     D26 - Zhuric Phelps (19.7 pts, 5.7 rebs, 3.0 asts, 1.7 stls in 3 games at Diamond Head Classic)
- 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)
     J2 - Samuell Williamson (17 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal vs Tulsa)
     F13 - Zhuric Phelps (22.5 pts, 3.0 rebs, 5.0 asts, 5.5 stls in 2 games, game-winning FT vs Temple)
     F20 - Zhuric Phelps (18.5 pts, 5.5 rebs, 7.5 asts, 2.5 stls, 5-9 3FGs in 2 games
- Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic All-Tournament Team
     D22-25 - Zhuric Phelps (19.7 pts, 5.7 rebs, 3.0 asts, 1.7 stls in 3 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)

DOUBLE-DOUBLES THIS SEASON
2022-23    Opponent    Stats    Season    Career
Samuell Williamson    A&M-Commerce 11/7    11 pts, 11 rebs    1st    6th
Efe Odigie    Evansville 11/19    10 pts, 11 rebs    1st    18th
Efe Odigie    Louisiana 11/22    18 pts, 11 rebs    2nd    19th
Efe Odigie    vs [24/25] TCU 12/10    13 pts, 11 rebs    3rd    20th
Stefan Todorovic    Tulane 1/11    27 pts, 10 rebs    1st    1st
Samuell Williamson    Tulane 1/11    10 pts, 11 rebs    2nd    7th
Efe Odigie    Wichita State 1/22    16 pts, 11 rebs    4th    21st
Samuell Williamson    USF 1/29    13 pts, 11 rebs    3rd    8th
Efe Odigie    Temple 2/8    10 pts, 11 rebs    5th    22nd
Samuell Williamson    at Wichita State 2/12    19 pts, 10 rebs    4th    9th
Zhuric Phelps    East Carolina 2/19    15 pts, 10 asts    1st    1st
Efe Odigie    at USF 2/25    14 pts, 10 rebs    6th    23rd
Samuell Williamson    [rv/-] Memphis 3/2    14 pts, 11 rebs    5th    10th

STREAKS:
10+ points: Zhuric Phelps 8 (23, 19, 26, 22, 15, 22, 10, 17), Samuell Williamson 2 (14, 10), Mo Njie (14), Efe Odigie (12), Jalen Smith (10)
Longest This Season: Zhuric Phelps 13 (11/7 - 12/25), 2nd is 8 by Efe Odigie (1/5 - 1/29)
NOTE: Phelps had 10+ in 13 straight (longest since 18 straight by Kendric Davis 11/15/21 to 1/29/22)
NOTE: Phelps had 15+ in 11 straight (longest since 16 straight by Kendric Davis 11/15/21 to 1/20/22)
8+ rebounds: 
Long: Efe Odigie 5 (11/7 - 11/22)
Dbl-Dbl: 
Long: Efe Odigie 2 (11-19 - 11/22)
5+ assists: 
Long: Zhuric Phelps 4+ (2/8 - 2/19)
2+ steals: Samuell Williamson 4 (4, 2, 3, 2)
Long: Zhuric Phelps 6 (2/4 - 2/25)
2+ blocks: 
Long: Samuell Williamson 2 (11/19 - 11/22), Zhuric Phelps 2 (11/22 - 11/27), Keon Ambrose-Hylton 2 (1/26 - 1/29)

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

Mustangs Selected All-American Athletic Conference
Sterling Brown (2016-17 Second Team)
Kendric Davis (2019-20 Third Team, 2020-21 First Team, 2021-22 First Team)
Feron Hunt (2020-21 Third Team)
Tyson Jolly (2019-20 Third Team)
Markus Kennedy (2013-14 Second Team, 2014-15 Second Team)
Jahmal McMurray (2018-19 Second Team)
Isiaha Mike (2019-20 Third Team)
Shake Milton (2016-17 Second Team, 2017-18 Second Team)
Ben Moore (2016-17 Second Team)
Nic Moore (2013-14 First Team, 2014-15 First Team, 2015-16 First Team)
Yanick Moreira (2014-15 Second Team)
Semi Ojeleye (2016-17 First Team)
Marcus Weathers (2021-22 Second Team)

AAC CHAMPIONSHIPS: SMU has won two regular season titles and two tournament titles.
6 - Houston (4 Season, 2 Tournament)
5 - Cincinnati (3 Season, 2 Tournament)
4 - SMU (2 Season, 2 Tournament)
2 - Louisville (1 Season, 1 Tournament)
1 - Temple (Season), Tulsa (Season), Wichita State (Season), UCONN (Tournament)

SMU BASKETBALL - HONORS (Awards/Honors since 2013-14)
  •  NBA Draft Picks (Semi Ojeleye & Sterling Brown in '17, Shake Milton in '18)
  •  AAC Players of the Year (Nic Moore '15, '16; Semi Ojeleye '17; Kendric Davis '22)
  •  AP All-America Honorable Mention (Nic Moore '15, '16; Semi Ojeleye '17)
  •  Academic All-American (Semi Ojeleye '17)
  •  Wooden Award Watch List (Nic Moore '15, '16, Shake Milton '18, Kendric Davis '22)
  •  Naismith Trophy Watch List (Nic Moore '15, '16; Shake Milton '18, Kendric Davis '22)
  •  Karl Malone Award Watch List (Markus Kennedy '16)
  •  Bob Cousy Award Watch List (Nic Moore '16; Shake Milton '18, Kendric Davis '22)
  •  Lute Olson Award Watch List (Nic Moore '15; Shake Milton '18; Kendric Davis '21, '22)
  •  Jerry West Award Watch List (Shake Milton '17)
  •  Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List (Nic Moore '16)
  •  NABC All-District (Nic Moore '14, '15, '16; Markus Kennedy '14, '15; Yanick Moreira '15; Ben Moore '16; Semi Ojeleye '17; Shake Milton '17, '18, Kendric Davis '20, '21, '22; Marcus Weathers '22)
  •  USBWA All-District (Nic Moore '14, '16; Semi Ojeleye '17; Shake Milton '18, Kendric Davis '21, '22)
  •  NABC College All-Star (Sterling Brown '17; Ben Moore '17)
  •  All-AAC 1st Team (Nic Moore '14, '15, '16; Semi Ojeleye '17; Kendric Davis '21, '22)
  •  All-AAC 2nd Team (Markus Kennedy '14, '15; Yanick Moreira '15; Sterling Brown '17; Ben Moore '17; Shake Milton '17, '18; Jahmal McMurray '19; Marcus Weathers '22)
  •  All-AAC 3rd Team (Kendric Davis '20, Tyson Jolly '20, Isiaha Mike '20, Feron Hunt '21)
  •  AAC Sixth Man of the Year (Markus Kennedy '15, '16; Ben Emelogu II '17)
  •  NABC Good Works Team Nominee (Semi Ojeleye '16; Jonathan Wilfong '17)
  •  Senior CLASS Award Nominee (Nic Moore '16; Ben Emelogu II '18)

SMU2NBA / Pros Since 2014: 
- Semi Ojeleye selected 37th in 2017 (picked by Boston)
- Sterling Brown selected 46th in 2017 (picked by Philadelphia, then traded to Milwaukee)
- Shake Milton selected 54th in 2018 (picked by Dallas, then traded to Philadelphia)
- Ben Moore spent 2017-19 with Indiana and San Antonio, played the 2021-22 with Memphis Hustle
- Feron Hunt signed a two-way with the New York Knicks (3/18/22), is now with Birmingham (G League affiliate for New Orleans)
- Jahmal McMurray was picked 21st in the 2019 G League draft by the Northern Arizona Suns (Phoenix)
- Michael Weathers was picked 8th in the 2022 G League draft by the Oklahoma City Blue (OKC)
- Played professionally: Ben Emelogu II, Feron Hunt, Markus Kennedy, Jahmal McMurray, Isiaha Mike, Ben Moore, Nic Moore, Yanick Moreira, Nick Russell, Jordan Tolbert, Marcus Weathers, Michael Weathers

IN THE POLLS: The Mustangs received votes in the AP Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Poll in 2021-22. SMU has been ranked or receiving votes in the AP Top 25 and/or the USA Today Coaches Poll in eight of the previous nine seasons (2013-14 to 2021-22). 

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 student-athlete 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.

COACHING FOR LITERACY (CoachingForLiteracy.org): This is the ninth straight season SMU has supported Coaching For Literacy, designating the home game against Evansville on Nov. 19 as the CFL game at Moody Coliseum for 2022-23. Jonathan Wilfong (SMU '17) and Andrew Renshaw, two then-high school seniors from Memphis, Tennessee, founded Coaching for Literacy in 2012. In partnership with Readers 2 Leaders (readers2leaders.org), proceeds raised from the event go towards funding of effective literacy programs focused on elementary and middle school students. --- The mission of Coaching for Literacy is to increase awareness about the number of people in America who are functionally or totally illiterate and the social problems associated with illiteracy. By leveraging the unique power of collegiate and professional sports, Coaching for Literacy raises money to supports effective local literacy programs and schools focused on educating elementary and middle school students.
CFL Games At Moody Coliseum
1/31/15    vs. UCF (W, 75-56)
2/19/15    vs. Temple (W, 67-58)
1/30/16     vs. Memphis (W, 80-68)
2/10/16    vs. Tulsa (L, 77-82)
12/19/16    vs. Stanford (W, 72-49)
1/28/18    vs. East Carolina (W, 86-61)
1/2/19    vs. East Carolina (W, 82-54)
12/3/19    vs. Northwestern State (W, 77-51)
2/17/21    vs. Tulane (postponed - weather)
1/12/22    vs USF (W, 77-65)
11/19/22    vs Evansville (W, 55-47)