SMU to check early-season success in ACC duel at Boston College

SMU can stretch its winning streak to six games Saturday when it goes on the road to face Boston College in an ACC matchup at Chestnut Hill, Mass.

The game will be a homecoming for Mustangs senior forward Matt Cross, who is from nearby Beverly, Mass. Cross began his college career at Miami, transferred to Louisville and spent two seasons at UMass before he joined the SMU program for this season.

Cross has been dealing with a back injury for much of the season for SMU (9-2, 1-0 ACC) but appears to be rounding into form. He had 16 points and 16 rebounds in Saturday’s 74-64 victory over LSU and is averaging 8.9 points per game with a team-best 8.6 rebounds.

“He’s playing great basketball,” new Mustangs coach Andy Enfield said. “Your good players have to play well in the big games. That’s how you win at a high level. He certainly did that (against LSU). Very proud of him. He has a tremendous attitude. He’s a tough, tough young man.”

BC (7-4, 0-1) is 4-2 at home this season, and Donald Hand Jr. has emerged as the team leader with 13.5 points per game and 7.5 rebounds.

“We’re excited as we approach the brink of our ACC season,” Eagles coach Earl Grant said. “We’re doing great things and we’re doing it with five freshmen. Everything is new for us.”

The Mustangs are off to their best start since they began the 2020-21 season with a 12-2 record but lost their only true road game so far at Butler. SMU is 6-1 at home and 3-0 on a neutral court.

SMU has five players averaging at least 10 points per game, led by Boopie Miller (14.4). The others are Chuck Harris (12.1), Samet Yigitoglu (11.7), Kario Oquendo (10.9) and BJ Edwards (10.1).

In addition to Hand, Chad Venning (11.5) and Elijah Strong (11.2) are the BC players scoring in double figures.

–Field Level Media