Acrisure Holiday Invitational
SMU (4-2) vs Cal Baptist (4-2)
Acrisure Arena – Palm Springs, Calif.
Tuesday, November 26, 2024 – 8:30 p.m. CT/6:30 p.m. PT
TV: TruTV | Audio Streaming: SMU Mobile App | The Varsity Network
Gameday Central | Live Stats | SMU Notes | Cal Baptist | ACC
 
SMU vs Washington State (5-1)/Fresno State (3-2)
Acrisure Arena – Palm Springs, Calif.
Wednesday, November 27, 2024 – 8:30pm CT/6:30pm PT  or 11pm CT/9pm PT
TV: TruTV | Audio Streaming: SMU Mobile App | The Varsity Network
Gameday Central | Live Stats | Fresno State | Washington State | ACC
 
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SMU plays in the 2024 Acrisure Holiday Invitational Nov. 26-27 at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California. The Mustangs open with Cal Baptist on Tuesday and then have a matchup with Fresno State or Washington State on Wednesday. 

The Mustangs enter the tournament off an 84-79 loss to Mississippi State. SMU tied the game at 64-64 and was within 76-75 in the final minute. The Mustangs shot 51.1% for the game and had five score in double figures for the fourth time this season.

SMU is averaging 89.7 points (2nd ACC, 13th NCAA) while shooting 48.4% (5th ACC) overall and 38.2% on threes (4th ACC). The Mustangs are leading the ACC at 18.0 assists per game. Boopie Miller is averaging 17.3 points (12th ACC), 6.2 assists (2nd ACC, 25th NCAA), 4.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals (18th ACC) with a 2.85 assist-to-turnover ratio (9th ACC). Chuck Harris is next in scoring at 13.8 with 3.0 assists while hitting 46.0% from three. B.J. Edwards is averaging 9.7 points 2.5 steals (2nd ACC). Samet Yiğitoğlu (11.0) and Yohan Traore (9.5) are also top-five on the team in scoring. Matt Cross is leading the Mustangs in rebounding (6.4, 19th ACC) followed by Yiğitoğlu (6.0) and Traore (5.5).

First-year head coach Andy Enfield took the helm of the SMU program following 11 seasons at USC, where he led the Trojans to five of the last eight NCAA Tournaments, including a run to the Elite Eight in 2021. He took over an SMU program that finished last season 20-13 after earning an NIT bid. That was the Mustangs' sixth postseason berth in the past 10 possible postseasons, including two NCAA bids and four NITs.

INAUGURAL ACC SEASON: SMU begins its first season in the ACC. SMU's inaugural ACC home slate includes Virginia (Dec. 7), Duke (Jan. 4), Georgia Tech (Jan. 11), Louisville (Jan. 21), Cal (Jan. 29), Stanford (Feb. 1), Pitt (Feb. 11), Wake Forest (Feb. 15), Clemson (Feb. 22) and Syracuse (Mar. 4). The Mustangs' road ACC contests are Boston College (Dec. 21), North Carolina (Jan. 7), Virginia (Jan. 15), Miami (Jan. 18), N.C. State (Jan. 25), Virginia Tech (Feb. 5), Notre Dame (Feb. 19), Cal (Feb. 26), Stanford (Mar. 1) and Florida State (Mar. 8). The ACC Men's Basketball Tournament is March 11-15 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: The Mustangs play an 11-game non-conference schedule that includes six teams that made the postseason last year. A home matchup with Mississippi State (L, 84-79 11/22), a neutral-site game in versus LSU (Dec. 14 at Comerica Center in Frisco), a road game at Butler (L, 81-70 on 11/15) and two games in the Acrisure Holiday Invitational highlight the non-conference slate. The Butler game starts a home-and-home that includes a game at Moody Coliseum in 2025-26, and the LSU game begins a two-game neutral-site series that includes a game in New Orleans in 2025-26. The Acrisure Holiday Invitational is Nov. 26-27 in Palm Springs, California, with Washington State, Fresno State and Cal Baptist. Mississippi State, Washington State and Longwood made NCAA tournament appearances last season while Butler and LSU were in the NIT. Tarleton State (W, 96-62 11/4) earned a CIT bid while UNC Greensboro (W, 81-68 on 11/11) was a 21-win team last season.

LAST GAME (L, 84-79 vs Mississippi State on Nov. 22): DALLAS (AP) -- Reserve KeShawn Murphy scored 16 points and led a quartet of Mississippi State bench players in double-digit scoring and the Bulldogs beat SMU 84-79 on Friday night. Reserves RJ Melendez scored 15 points, Riley Kugel 13 and Claudell Harris Jr. 10. Josh Hubbard was the lone Mississippi State (5-0) starter in double figures with 14 points on just 4-for-18 shooting. The Bulldogs' starters went 10 for 33 from the floor compared to the 18-for-35 effort from the bench. Cameron Matthews made a layup with 5:13 remaining to break a tie at 66. Murphy made a 3-pointer and Kanye Clary made 1 of 2 free throws and Mississippi State led for the remainder. Reserve Kario Oquendo scored 13 points for the Mustangs (4-2), Matt Cross, Boopie Miller and Samet Yigitoglu all had 12 points and B.J. Edwards scored 10. 
POSTGAME NOTES
- SMU had five score in double figures for the fourth time this season

UP NEXT: SMU hosts Alabama State Dec. 3 and then the ACC opener with Virginia on Dec. 7 at Moody Coliseum. The Mustansg then face LSU at Comerica Center in Frisco on Dec. 14 before the first ACC road game at Boston College on Dec. 21.

THE SERIES VS CAL BAPTIST (0-0): First meeting. 

THE SERIES VS FRESNO STATE (3-12): SMU is 3-12 against the Fresno State, playing 14 of the 15 games while both teams were members of the Western Athletic Conference. The most recent matchup was in the 2011 Preseason NIT second round hosted by Stanford with the Mustangs falling 54-52.

LAST TIME VS FRESNO STATE (Nov. 15, 2011 - L, 54-52): STANFORD, Calif. (AP) -- Kevin Olekaibe scored 24 points, including a 3-pointer with 26.1 seconds remaining to give Fresno State the lead for good in a 54-52 victory over SMU Tuesday night. The teams met in a consolation game of the NIT Season Tip-Off. Jonathan Wills and Ryan Manuel each hit a pair of free throws in the final 13 seconds to clinch it for the Bulldogs (2-1), who overcame a 10-point deficit in the second half. Cannen Cunningham, in his first career start, scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Mustangs (1-2). Robert Nyakundi added 14 points and London Giles had 11. Olekaibe led Fresno State with 24 points. Kevin Foster had 10. SMU recovered from an early 10-point deficit to take a 22-21 halftime edge.

THE SERIES VS WASHINGTON STATE (0-1): The only previous meeting was in the second round of the 2022 NIT, with Washington State winning 75-63 at Moody Coliseum.

LAST TIME VS WASHINGTON STATE (March 20, 2022 - L 75-63): DALLAS (AP) Michael Flowers had 22 points as Washington State beat SMU 75-63 in the NIT second round on Sunday. 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.

ACC EXPERIENCE: Boopie Miller was at Wake Forest last season where he averaged 15.6 points (13th ACC), 3.5 assists (12th ACC), 1.4 steals (10th ACC). Matt Cross was at UMass the past two season after playing his freshman season at Miami (2020-21) and his sophomore year at Louisville (2021-22).

BALANCING ACT: The Mustangs had at least five players in double figures in four games: 11/4 vs Tarleton St (6 - First time SMU had six score 10+ since 12/17/15 vs Hampton), 11/7 FAMU (5), 11/18 Prairie View A&M (5), 11/22 Mississippi State (5).

BEST IN PROGRAM HISTORY: Four-star prospects Jermaine O'Neal, Jr., Jaden Toombs and Nigel Walls have signed to play at SMU beginning with the 2025-26 season, Head Coach Andy Enfield announced today. The 2025 signing class is ranked as high as No. 6 nationally, the highest in program history. Walls (6-10, F), from St. Francis Episcopal in Houston, is ranked as high as No. 57 nationally. Toombs and O'Neal Jr. are teammates are Dynamic Prep in Irving, where Toombs (6-10, C) is rated as high as No. 38 nationally and O'Neal Jr. (6-5, F) is listed as high as No. 88 nationally.
- SMU Class Rankings | #6 ESPN | #13 On3 | #7 247 Sports
- Jermaine O'Neal, Jr. (Dynamic Prep in Irving, Texas) | 4-star | #88 ESPN | #111 On3 | #126 247 Sports
- Jaden Toombs (Dynamic Prep in Irving, Texas) | 4-star | #38 ESPN | #45 On3 | #47 247 Sports
- Nigel Walls (St. Francis Episcopal in Houston, Texas) | 4-star | #62 ESPN | #57 On3 | #58 247 Sports

CAPTAINS: The captains for the 2024-25 season are Keon Ambrose-Hylton, Chuck Harris and Boopie Miller.

DOUBLE FIGURES: Eight Mustangs have scored in double figures multiple times this season: Boopie Miller (6), B.J. Edwards (4), Keon Ambrose-Hylton (3), Samet Yiğitoğlu (3), Chuck Harris (4), Matt Cross (2), Kario Oquendo (2), Yohan Traore (2).

FLOOR EXPERIENCE: Five Mustangs have played in 100 or more NCAA D-I games: Chuck Harris (122), Tibet Görener (110), Kario Oquendo (102), Keon Ambrose Hylton (100), and Matt Cross (100).

GRAND ACHIEVEMENT: Three Mustangs have reached the 1,000-point milestone: Chuck Harris (1,476), Kario Oquendo (1,150), Boopie Miller (1,117) and Matt Cross (1,031). Tibet Görener (833) is closing in on the career mark. 

CENTURY MARK: SMU scored 110 points in the win over Prairie View A&M 11/18. That's the most since 11/20/99 vs Hardin-Simmons (W, 110-69). That ties for 14th-highest in program history. The 41-point margin ties for 18th in program history and is the most since 43 vs Texas A&M-Commerce 12/3/23 (W, 90-47). The Mustangs also scored 102 in the victory over Florida A&M on Nov. 11 (102-73). This is the first time SMU has scored at least 100 twice in the first five games since doing the same in 1992-93.

KE-ON TARGET: Keon Ambrose-Hylton is at 60.0% on FGs this season after he shot an SMU-record 64.1% from the field in 2023-24.
SMU Best Season FG% (Since 1953-54) (Min. 75 Field Goals Made)
1.    64.1 Keon Ambrose-Hylton (Sr.), 2023-24 (98-153)
2.    63.7 Terry Williams (Sr.), 1986-87 (142-233)
3.    62.1 Jon Koncak (Jr.), 1983-84 (211-340)
4.    62.0 Terry Williams (Jr.), 1985-86 (150-242)
5.    61.3 Ben Moore (Fr.), 2013-14 (84-137)
6.    60.7 Larry Davis (Jr.), 1983-84 (219-361)
7.    60.2 Sterling Brown (Jr.), 2015-16 (109-181)

MEN OF STEALS: SMU is averaging 9.0 (5th ACC). B.J. Edwards is leading at 2.5 steals (2nd ACC, 42nd NCAA). Boopie Miller is averaging 2.0 per contest (10th ACC) and Kario Oquendo 1.7 (18th ACC). Edwards, Miller and Oquendo each recorded four steals in the opener versus Tarleton State 11/4.

MOODY MAGIC: SMU has successfully defended home court in 72 of 84 (.857) regular-season non-conference games at Moody Coliseum since the renovation and expansion for the 2013-14 season. In 11 seasons in the American Athletic Conference, SMU went 77-22 (.766) at Moody Coliseum, including 8-1 last season.

STREAKS:
10+ points: Boopie Miller 6 (21, 20, 21, 17, 13, 12), Matt Cross (17, 12), Samet Yiğitoğlu (11, 12), Kario Oquendo (13), B.J. Edwards (10)
Longest This Season: Boopie Miller 6+ (11/4 - )
8+ rebounds: Matt Cross 2 (12, 9)
Long: Matt Cross 2+ (11/18 - )
Dbl-Dbl: 
Long: Yohan Traore (11/7), Matt Cross (11/18)
5+ assists: Boopie Miller (6)
Long: Boopie Miller 3 (11/4 - 11/11)
2+ steals: Boopie Miller (2, 2), Kario Oquendo (2)
Long: B.J. Edwards 3 (11/4 - 11/11)
2+ blocks: Samet Yiğitoğlu (2, 3)
Long: Keon Ambrose-Hylton 2 (11/4 - 11/7), Jerrell Colbert 2+ (11/15 - 11/18), Samet Yiğitoğlu (11/18 - )

MEET THE MUSTANGS:

Keon Ambrose-Hylton (6-9, 220, F, Sr.) | 2024-25: Played all 6 games...7.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 0.7 blocks, 56.7% FGs ... 2023-24: Played all 33 games (20 starts)... Averaged 6.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 0.9 blocks... Shot an SMU season-record 64.1%... SMU SEASON RECORD: FG% (64.1%, 1st).

Jerrell Colbert (6-10, 235, F, Jr.) | 2024-25: Played all 6 games...4.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.5 blocks (10th ACC), 57.1% FGs... 2023-24 (Kansas State): Averaged 2.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks as the Wildcats went 19-15 overall, earning a trip to the NIT.

Matt Cross (6-7, 230, F, Sr.) | 2024-25: Played 5 games... 8.2 points, 6.4 rebounds (19th ACC), 1.4 assists, 35.7% on 3FGs... 1 double-double... 2023-24 (UMass): NABC All-District Selection… Atlantic 10 First-Team Selection… Averaged 15.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 steals… Hit 54.0% field goals, 32.9% threes, and 79.8% free throws.

B.J. Edwards (6-3, 185, G, Jr.) | 2024-25: Started all 6 games... averaging 9.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.5 steals (2nd ACC), 38.9% on 3FGs... 2023-24:  Played all 33 games (30 starts)... Averaged 3.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists with a 2.43 assist-to-turnover ratio.

AJ George (6-6, 190, G, Jr.) | 2024-25: Played in 3 games... 2023-24 (Long Beach State): Played in all 36 games, averaging 10.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in 28.1 minutes per game as LBSU won the Big West Tournament and made the NCAA Tournament… Shot 53.3% on field goals, 34.4% on threes and 72.1% on free throws.

Tibet Görener (6-9, 205, F, Sr.) | 2024-25: Played all 6 games... 2023-24 (San Jose State): Started all 32 games… Averaged 11.4 points and 3.9 rebounds…Hit 33.9% on threes…totaled 25 assists, 15 steals and 11 blocks

Chuck Harris (6-4, 190, G, Sr.): 2024-25: Played all 6 games... 13.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.64 assist-to-turnover ratio (15th ACC)... 2023-24:  Played and started 32 of 33 games... Averaged 13.4 points, 3.4 assists (9th AAC) and 3.2 rebounds while hitting 40.7% on threes (5th AAC) and 81.8% on free throws... Had a 1.77 assist-to-turnover ratio (8th AAC)… Team-high 18 points and reached 1,000 for his career vs Lamar 11/9... HONORS: AAC Weekly Honor Roll (D18).

Mitchell Holmes (6-11, 215, F, Fr.) | 2023-24 ( Link Year Prep in Branson, Missouri): The three-star signee was ranked in the top 10 overall in Missouri and top 70 at his position nationally... Before attending Link Academy, the McDonald's All-American nominee scored more than 1,500 points at The Oakridge School in Arlington.

Niccolo Kalischer-Stork (6-3, 190, G, Fr.) | 2023-24 (Harvard-Westlake School): Played as a guard for the Wolverines as the team went 91-9 from 2021-24… As a senior in 2023-24, averaged 3.2 points per game.

Boopie Miller (6-0, 175, G, Jr.) | 2024-25: Started all 6 games... 17.3 points (12th ACC), 6.2 assists (2nd ACC, 25th NCAA), 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals (10th ACC), 2.85 assist-to-turnover ratio (9th ACC), 45.8% FGs (17th ACC), 82.6% FTs (17th ACC)... 2023-24 (Wake Forest): One of three players to start all 35 games... Averaged 15.6 points (2nd WF, 13th ACC), 3.5 assists (12th ACC), 1.4 steals (10th ACC)... Shot 84.5% on free throws (131-155, 6th ACC) and 46.4% on field goals (11th ACC)

Kario Oquendo (6-4, 220, G, Sr.) | 2024-25: Played all 6 games... 8.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.7 steals (18th ACC), 1.2 assists, 42.1% on 3FGs... 2023-24 (Oregon):  Averaged 7.2 points (.459 FG%), 2.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 17.7 minutes per game … Played in 36 games making three starts | 2022-23 (Georgia): Averaged 12.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.6 assists playing 25.4 minutes per game for the Bulldogs.

Chance Puryear (6-7, 190, F, Fr.) | 2023-24: He was named TABC 4A All-State at Carter High School in Dallas...District 13-4A Player of the Year and a 2024 McDonald's All-American Game Southwest Nominee.

Yohan Traore (6-11, 235, F, Jr.) | 2024-25: Started all 6 games... 9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 51.5% FGs 1 double-double... 2023-24 (UC Santa Barbara): Played and started in 30 of 31 games… Averaged 14.5 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 58.3% from the field and 68.6% at the free-throw line.

Trey Utter (6-0, 160, G, Jr.) | 2024-25... Played 2 games... 2023-24: Played in 7 games.

Samet Yiğitoğlu (7-2, 265, C, Fr.) | 2024-25: Played/started 4 games... 11.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 56.0% FGs... 2023-24: Averaged 13.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and shot 82.6% on FGs in four games with Sigortam Istanbul in the Turkey in 2023-24… Sigortam finished tied for first at 28-6 in the Turkish second division…Played for Turkey in the 2023 FIBA U20 European Championship in Greece, averaging 12.7 points and 8.6 rebounds while hitting 66.0% on FGs (33-50).

Jackson Young (6-2, 185, G, Sr.) | 2024-25: Played 2 games... 2023-24: Played in 8 games.

HEAD COACH ANDY ENFIELD... was named SMU's Head Men's Basketball on April 1, 2024. A proven winner, Enfield burst onto the coaching scene in 2013 when, in his second year as a head coach, he guided Florida Gulf Coast to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Following that success, he was hired by the University of Southern California (USC), where he led the Trojans to five of the last eight NCAA Tournaments, including a run to the Elite Eight in 2021. 

He came to SMU after 11 seasons at USC, where he compiled a 220-147 record. Enfield quickly brought success to the basketball program upon his arrival, as the Trojans set a school single-season win record and posted the most wins in program history over two-year, three-year, four-year, five-year, six-year, seven-year and eight-year periods. Enfield's 220 wins ranks third on USC's all-time wins list, trailing only Sam Barry (260) and Forrest Twogood (251). In 13 seasons as a head coach Enfield has a 261-175 mark. 
 
His teams also excelled in the classroom by setting the program's top team GPAs. Enfield brought in eight consecutive Top-30 recruiting classes, with the 2022 class ranking No. 7 and the 2023 class ranking No. 4.
 
Over his final seven seasons at USC, the Trojans had eight players selected in the NBA Draft, tied for the fifth-most by any program in the country, with Evan Mobley going No. 3 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft and Onyeka Okongwu being selected No. 6 in the 2020 Draft. USC was one of three teams to have had at least one player selected in six of the last seven NBA Drafts. In total, 11 players during Enfield's time at USC have made the NBA.

HILLTOP HOOPS SHOW: The Hilltop Hoops Show presented by the SMU Cox School of Business features SMU Men's Basketball Head Coach Andy Enfield and Women's Basketball Head Coach Toyelle Wilson on Mondays 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 App.