SMU feeling good heading into ACC opener in opposition to Virginia

An energized SMU squad will carry a three-game winning streak against up-and-down Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for each team on Saturday in Dallas.

The game is the first for the Mustangs’ basketball team as a member of one of the nation’s perennial powerhouse leagues, but don’t expect SMU (7-2) to wilt in the spotlight. The Mustangs lambasted Alabama State 101-72 on Tuesday in their most recent outing. Their two losses came against Butler on the road by 11 points and against Mississippi State at home by five.

Kario Oquendo poured in a season-high 20 points to lead seven SMU scorers in double figures in the win over Alabama State. Matt Cross added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Mustangs while Samet Yigitoglu and Chuck Harris scored 12 points apiece. Yohan Traore and B.J. Edwards each had 11 and Jerrell Colbert hit for 10.

“I think it’s finally getting to the point where we are starting to figure out how to play as a team,” Oquendo said. “You can see it from game to game. We’re getting better, and every practice, we’re getting better. I believe the more games we play together, the more the things start coming together.”

SMU is second in scoring per game in the ACC (averaging 87.4 points) and assists per game (16) and tied for fifth in field-goal shooting (47.3 percent) and fourth in 3-point shooting (36.8 percent).

The Mustangs lead the ACC in rebound margin (plus-10.9), total rebound average (44.4 per game) and offensive rebounds (15.5 a game) — all in all, an impressive start to their campaign.

Boopie Miller is the SMU leader in scoring average (15.6 points per game) and assists (5.8), with Cross the top rebounder (7.5 per game).

The Cavaliers (5-3) head to Dallas after an 87-69 loss at No. 13 Florida on Wednesday in the SEC/ACC Challenge. Elijah Saunders scored 19 points for Virginia while Isaac McKneely added 12 points — all on 3-pointers. The Cavaliers, however, had no answer for the Florida defense, committing 15 turnovers that led to 20 points for the Gators.

Virginia led 18-9 early but were down by four at halftime. They got to within a point after a deep basket by Saunders in the opening minute of the second half, but that was as close as the Cavaliers would come.

“Overall, I was very, very pleased with the first half,” Virginia interim coach Ron Sanchez said. “I think that we handled adversity well. This group is on its way of becoming who they’re going to be. It’s painful growth, but you grow nonetheless.”

McKneely leads the Cavaliers with 13.1 points per game, followed by Saunders at 10.3. Jacob Cofie is the top rebounder at 6.4 per game, while Andrew Rohde has a team-best average of three assists.

The teams have met just once before, with the Cavaliers outlasting SMU 76-73 in the semifinals of the Corpus Christi Challenge on Nov. 29, 2013.

–Field Level Media