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The SMU Mustangs are back in the NCAA Tournament after a one-year ban.
The next step for SMU will be attempting to stay around for more than one game.
The 11th-ranked Mustangs (30-4) won 25 games last season but were excluded from postseason competition because of NCAA infractions committed under former coach Larry Brown.
SMU, which has won at least 25 games every season since 2013-14, is still looking for its first NCAA Tournament victory since 1988. Two years ago, 11th-seeded UCLA bumped the sixth-seeded Mustangs in the first round.
Southern California (25-9) will try to repeat that feat Friday.
The Trojans defeated Providence 75-71 on Wednesday night in the First Four in Dayton, Ohio. That means 11th-seeded USC comes into Tulsa, Okla., to play sixth-seeded SMU with momentum and history on the Trojans’ side.
Since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 68 teams with four play-in games in 2011, teams seeded No. 13 or higher who have won play-in games are 6-5 in the first round.
Apparently, getting a kick-starter game in before the tourney cranks up in earnest is a benefit.
But even without that factor, first-year SMU coach Tim Jankovich has an unenviable task in getting ready for the tournament opener on Friday afternoon at BOK Center in Tulsa.
“(The NCAA Tournament selection committee is) killing me because I’m having to watch both,” Jankovich said earlier this week about having to prepare for both Providence and USC. “I’m staying up really, really late. It’s two really good teams in your mind instead of one, and that’s a lot of stress. I’m telling you: It’s not fun.”
Jankovich said at least it’s a level playing field as USC didn’t get to focus on the Mustangs until late Wednesday night.
However, the Trojans seem ready for the challenge. USC already defeated SMU 78-73 in Los Angeles in November.
“We were fortunate enough to beat them at home,” USC coach Andy Enfield said. “We know that they’re playing very well. So are we. It should be a great college basketball game in Tulsa on Friday.”
USC gained some needed traction by defeating the Friars. The Trojans had lost five of their last eight. Most recently, third-ranked UCLA defeated the Trojans by two in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 tournament.
Aside from the awkward nature of playing a play-in opponent, SMU enters as one of the hottest teams in the country.
The Mustangs have won 16 consecutive games, including a 71-56 victory over No. 15 Cincinnati. The Bearcats were the last team to beat SMU; their 66-64 win on Jan. 12 ended the Mustangs’ 10-game winning streak.
“They just keep exceeding what you would normally see as the standard,” Jankovich said of his team. “Just look at the streak of wins. We’re a basket away from an incredible streak. You have to have more than just talent to do that. You’ve got to have some incredible character and maturity and chemistry and a lot of things.”
Whether all of those ingredients will result in SMU’s first tournament win in nearly 30 years will be determined on Friday.
Showing posts with label USC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USC. Show all posts
Friday, March 17, 2017
Thursday, March 9, 2017
USC tops Washington in Pac-12 tourney, boosts NCAA hopes
By MIKE CRANSTON
Associated Press
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Southern California's quest to reach the NCAA Tournament likely couldn't survive a loss to one of the Pac-12's worst teams.
The Trojans prevailed, and while it was a struggle, coach Andy Enfield believes they've now done enough to earn a bid.
Chimezie Metu had 24 points and nine rebounds, and USC withstood a poor start and sloppy finish to hold off Washington 78-73 on Wednesday night in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament.
Bennie Boatwright added 13 points for the sixth-seeded Trojans, who rallied from 10 points down in the first half and then nearly blew a 14-point lead before securing a spot in Thursday's quarterfinals against No. 3 UCLA.
"Our RPI is in the high 30s and we're 24-8, so we feel like we're in pretty good shape for the NCAA Tournament," Enfield said.
David Crisp had 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Huskies (9-22) but missed a game-tying 3-point attempt in the closing seconds. Noah Dickerson scored 18 points, but Washington was undone by 10 second-half turnovers in its school-record 13th straight loss.
Washington, holding an RPI of 202 entering the day, played without potential No. 1 NBA draft pick Markelle Fultz for a fourth straight game. The Pac-12 top scorer sat out with a sore knee, meaning the freshman's college career is likely over.
The question now is whether coach Lorenzo Romar will return. He said a report that indicated it had been decided he will be retained was false.
"I have not received any indications from the administration one way or another," Romar said. "It's an evaluation process going on right now."
Washington tied a school record for losses in a season, but the Trojans still struggled for much of the night. USC didn't put it away until Shaqquan Aaron hit two free throws with 3 seconds left.
Aaron had missed two free throws with 21 seconds remaining and De'Anthony Melton missed one with 34 seconds to go.
"When you miss two or three or four free throws at the end of the game, you give yourself a chance to lose," Enfield said. "We didn't lose tonight, but you saw in the NCAA Tournament last year we couldn't make free throws."
Washington came out hot in the teams' second meeting in five days, with Matisse Thybulle (14 points) hitting three straight 3-pointers to put the 11th-seeded Huskies up 37-27.
But USC switching to a zone and Metu's play inside fueled a 10-2 run to close the half. The Trojans took their first lead early in the second half on consecutive dunks by Metu.
Things unraveled for the Huskies from there. Malik Dime had to leave briefly with an apparent finger injury after blocking a shot. Then a foul and ensuing technical foul on Carlos Johnson led to Boatwright hitting four straight free throws and USC soon led by 14.
But late miscues led to some tense moments before Crisp's straightaway 3 clanged off the rim.
"It's on us as players," guard Jordan McLaughlin said of USC's inconsistency. "The coaches do a good job getting us ready for the game. Defensive strategy and everything, they set it up perfectly, and it's on us to come and play with energy."
BIG PICTURE
Washington: Romar did sign Michael Porter Jr., the No. 1 player in the 2017 recruiting class, which could help him avoid getting fired.
USC: Thanks to a recent four-game losing streak and only two wins over AP Top 25 teams (UCLA, No. 12 SMU), falling to the downtrodden Huskies might have extinguished the Trojans' NCAA Tournament hopes.
FULTZ'S LAST SHOT
Maybe Fultz should have tried to play while sitting on the bench. The freshman posted a video on his Twitter account from the shootaround in which he made a shot from the first row of the stands behind the basket.
UP NEXT
Washington: Romar, the Pac-12's longest-tenured coach, hopes to return for a 16th season. "I think that our administration is very supportive," he said.
USC: The Trojans split two games with UCLA, but the last meeting was ugly. The Bruins rolled at home, 102-70 on Feb. 18, and are hoping to secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Associated Press
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Southern California's quest to reach the NCAA Tournament likely couldn't survive a loss to one of the Pac-12's worst teams.
The Trojans prevailed, and while it was a struggle, coach Andy Enfield believes they've now done enough to earn a bid.
Chimezie Metu had 24 points and nine rebounds, and USC withstood a poor start and sloppy finish to hold off Washington 78-73 on Wednesday night in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament.
Bennie Boatwright added 13 points for the sixth-seeded Trojans, who rallied from 10 points down in the first half and then nearly blew a 14-point lead before securing a spot in Thursday's quarterfinals against No. 3 UCLA.
"Our RPI is in the high 30s and we're 24-8, so we feel like we're in pretty good shape for the NCAA Tournament," Enfield said.
David Crisp had 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Huskies (9-22) but missed a game-tying 3-point attempt in the closing seconds. Noah Dickerson scored 18 points, but Washington was undone by 10 second-half turnovers in its school-record 13th straight loss.
Washington, holding an RPI of 202 entering the day, played without potential No. 1 NBA draft pick Markelle Fultz for a fourth straight game. The Pac-12 top scorer sat out with a sore knee, meaning the freshman's college career is likely over.
The question now is whether coach Lorenzo Romar will return. He said a report that indicated it had been decided he will be retained was false.
"I have not received any indications from the administration one way or another," Romar said. "It's an evaluation process going on right now."
Washington tied a school record for losses in a season, but the Trojans still struggled for much of the night. USC didn't put it away until Shaqquan Aaron hit two free throws with 3 seconds left.
Aaron had missed two free throws with 21 seconds remaining and De'Anthony Melton missed one with 34 seconds to go.
"When you miss two or three or four free throws at the end of the game, you give yourself a chance to lose," Enfield said. "We didn't lose tonight, but you saw in the NCAA Tournament last year we couldn't make free throws."
Washington came out hot in the teams' second meeting in five days, with Matisse Thybulle (14 points) hitting three straight 3-pointers to put the 11th-seeded Huskies up 37-27.
But USC switching to a zone and Metu's play inside fueled a 10-2 run to close the half. The Trojans took their first lead early in the second half on consecutive dunks by Metu.
Things unraveled for the Huskies from there. Malik Dime had to leave briefly with an apparent finger injury after blocking a shot. Then a foul and ensuing technical foul on Carlos Johnson led to Boatwright hitting four straight free throws and USC soon led by 14.
But late miscues led to some tense moments before Crisp's straightaway 3 clanged off the rim.
"It's on us as players," guard Jordan McLaughlin said of USC's inconsistency. "The coaches do a good job getting us ready for the game. Defensive strategy and everything, they set it up perfectly, and it's on us to come and play with energy."
BIG PICTURE
Washington: Romar did sign Michael Porter Jr., the No. 1 player in the 2017 recruiting class, which could help him avoid getting fired.
USC: Thanks to a recent four-game losing streak and only two wins over AP Top 25 teams (UCLA, No. 12 SMU), falling to the downtrodden Huskies might have extinguished the Trojans' NCAA Tournament hopes.
FULTZ'S LAST SHOT
Maybe Fultz should have tried to play while sitting on the bench. The freshman posted a video on his Twitter account from the shootaround in which he made a shot from the first row of the stands behind the basket.
UP NEXT
Washington: Romar, the Pac-12's longest-tenured coach, hopes to return for a 16th season. "I think that our administration is very supportive," he said.
USC: The Trojans split two games with UCLA, but the last meeting was ugly. The Bruins rolled at home, 102-70 on Feb. 18, and are hoping to secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
USC, Ole Miss again make noise by landing key recruits
Erik McKinney/ESPN Staff Writer
USC continues to roll on Wednesday, as impact prospects hit the SEC as well in the past hour.
USC lands another ESPN 300 prospect
Tight end Josh Falo announced that he will sign with USC as it continues to put the finishing touches on a strong 2017 class.
Falo, the nation’s No. 1 prospect at his position and No. 92 overall prospect, adds to a strong crop of young tight ends for the Trojans. They will add him to a position that features former ESPN 300 signees Cary Angeline and Tyler Petite, as well as Daniel Imatorbhebhe, who made a big impact for the Trojans last year after transferring from Florida.
Falo selected USC over Colorado, where his brother is a linebacker, and Oregon, which made a strong push over the final few weeks and received his last official visit. He is the fourth ESPN 300 prospect to announce for USC today, joining linebacker Levi Jones, offensive tackle Austin Jackson and defensive tackle Jay Tufele.
South Carolina holds on for ESPN 300 prospect
South Carolina’s biggest recruiting win on Wednesday had nothing to do with adding an additional prospect to its class. Instead, the Gamecocks can feel great about simply holding on to ESPN 300 cornerback Jamyest Williams, the nation’s No. 39 overall prospect. He faced significant pressure from Georgia to stay home, but Williams decided to stick with the program he committed to back in August. With Georgia dominating the state this year, Williams is the only top-5 prospect in the state to not sign with the Bulldogs.
Ole Miss' day gets even better
Ole Miss added yet another prospect on signing day, as ESPN 300 offensive tackle Tony Gray announced for the Rebels over offers from Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech and South Carolina. He is the second offensive line commitment for Ole Miss on Wednesday, as he joins offensive guard Sincere David.
Notre Dame keeps fighting
There wasn’t much national buzz when it came to Notre Dame heading into signing day, but the Fighting Irish are finishing on a positive note. After signing defensive tackle Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, Notre Dame flipped three-star defensive end Kofi Wardlow from Maryland on signing day. The Fighting Irish also signed four-star safety Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who was previously committed to Virginia.
Penn State adds another
Penn State added its second commitment of the day, as cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields selected the Nittany Lions over Maryland. The three-star prospect gives Penn State another cornerback in what was a big haul at the position. Led by ESPN 300 prospect Lamont Wade, Castro-Fields joins Donovan Johnson and D.J. Brown as cornerback signees.
Utah hits Hawaii
Utah added three linemen from Hawaii on signing day, as defensive ends Miki Suguturaga and Aliki Vimahi and offensive tackle Mo Unutoa all selected the Utes on Wednesday.
 |
| Josh Falo |
USC lands another ESPN 300 prospect
Tight end Josh Falo announced that he will sign with USC as it continues to put the finishing touches on a strong 2017 class.
Falo, the nation’s No. 1 prospect at his position and No. 92 overall prospect, adds to a strong crop of young tight ends for the Trojans. They will add him to a position that features former ESPN 300 signees Cary Angeline and Tyler Petite, as well as Daniel Imatorbhebhe, who made a big impact for the Trojans last year after transferring from Florida.
Falo selected USC over Colorado, where his brother is a linebacker, and Oregon, which made a strong push over the final few weeks and received his last official visit. He is the fourth ESPN 300 prospect to announce for USC today, joining linebacker Levi Jones, offensive tackle Austin Jackson and defensive tackle Jay Tufele.
South Carolina holds on for ESPN 300 prospect
South Carolina’s biggest recruiting win on Wednesday had nothing to do with adding an additional prospect to its class. Instead, the Gamecocks can feel great about simply holding on to ESPN 300 cornerback Jamyest Williams, the nation’s No. 39 overall prospect. He faced significant pressure from Georgia to stay home, but Williams decided to stick with the program he committed to back in August. With Georgia dominating the state this year, Williams is the only top-5 prospect in the state to not sign with the Bulldogs.
Ole Miss' day gets even better
Ole Miss added yet another prospect on signing day, as ESPN 300 offensive tackle Tony Gray announced for the Rebels over offers from Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech and South Carolina. He is the second offensive line commitment for Ole Miss on Wednesday, as he joins offensive guard Sincere David.
Notre Dame keeps fighting
There wasn’t much national buzz when it came to Notre Dame heading into signing day, but the Fighting Irish are finishing on a positive note. After signing defensive tackle Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, Notre Dame flipped three-star defensive end Kofi Wardlow from Maryland on signing day. The Fighting Irish also signed four-star safety Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who was previously committed to Virginia.
Penn State adds another
Penn State added its second commitment of the day, as cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields selected the Nittany Lions over Maryland. The three-star prospect gives Penn State another cornerback in what was a big haul at the position. Led by ESPN 300 prospect Lamont Wade, Castro-Fields joins Donovan Johnson and D.J. Brown as cornerback signees.
Utah hits Hawaii
Utah added three linemen from Hawaii on signing day, as defensive ends Miki Suguturaga and Aliki Vimahi and offensive tackle Mo Unutoa all selected the Utes on Wednesday.
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