SMU at Oklahoma State - Charity Exhibition Supporting The American Heart Association
Gallagher-Iba Arena – Stillwater, Oklahoma
Saturday, October 26, 2024 – 11 a.m. CT
Audio Streaming | Live Stats | Free Admission & Parking
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Head Coach Andy  Enfield on ACC Network at ACC Tipoff
Chuck  Harris & Kevin "Boopie" Miller on ACC Network at ACC Tipoff
Behind The Magic - Episode 2: A New Home

The new-look SMU men's basketball team will be on display Saturday when it takes on Oklahoma State in a charity exhibition game at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater.

Tip off is scheduled for 11 a.m. with free admission and parking, although The Eddie Sutton Foundation will be accepting donations to benefit the American Heart Association.

It will be the first chance to see the Mustangs under new head coach Andy Enfield. Seven transfers and a trio of true freshmen join returners B.J. Edwards, Chuck Harris and Keon Ambrose-Hylton to make up this year's team.

As soon as Enfield was officially hired, he and his staff went to work. Two things benefited that roster rebuild — a staff with experience doing it and the new landscape of college sports.

"We have such great experience," Enfield said. "We tried to go out and get some veterans like a Matt Cross, who spent two years in the ACC, first team All-Atlantic 10 last year. He's terrific. Kario Oquendo, who's played at Georgia and Oregon last year, those guys have big-time experience. Chuck Harris and Boopie (Miller) have experience at the guard spot."

There are still a lot of moving pieces that have to come together with the regular season just around the corner. But the team is making progress at the right time and will have a chance to put it on display Saturday.

"Not one player has really stood out," Enfield said. "We're really excited because we made a lot of improvements in this last week, offensively and defensively, and then learning each other's games and playing together."

The team got right to work building those bonds off the court that will carry onto the court. But now they are ready to play against someone other than each other.

"I feel like we're all connected," Miller said. "Off the court, we just got connected real close in the summer. We'll go get something to eat after practice with each other, stuff like that. So I'm definitely excited to play against other guys. You know, practice, we're playing against the same guys every day, but definitely excited to play against other guys and I'm just excited for this team this year."

Harris bonded with Enfield over a shared vision for the season. It's Harris' final year in college and he wants to compete in the ACC and make the NCAA tournament. So does Enfield.

"We're looking to be very competitive," Enfield said. "I don't think any of our coaches or players that are on our team now came here to SMU to go in the ACC and not compete at the highest level. We don't know if we'll win the league or not, but we're going to try to. We're going to be very competitive on a nightly basis."

What will make the Mustangs successful is the makeup of the team and the style of play. There are four seniors and another five juniors on the team with experience and they're helping pull everyone in the right direction.

"We definitely are an up-tempo team, high possessions," Harris said. "A lot of excitement on this team, a lot of explosive players that could make a play at any given second. But just the same end goal, though, just find ways to win and bring some W's to Moody Coliseum this season."

And even the young players have caught the veteran's attention.

"Honestly, even the freshmen, Mitchell Holmes and Chance Puryear," Harris said. "They've adjusted pretty easily and pretty fast to the style of play of college basketball. So I'm really excited for y'all to see everybody on this team."

Now they get a chance to see how the pieces fit and how the team responds on the court, away from home, against another team.

"I feel like that's why some of the scrimmages we have coming up will help that in a real game environment, especially going to Oklahoma State," Cross said. "That's also an away environment, which can always help bring guys together, being away from home."