Meeting in Dallas for the first time since 1971, Atlantic Coast Conference newcomer SMU will look to get back on track when it hosts Georgia Tech on Saturday.
The Mustangs (11-4, 2-2 ACC) got off to a hot start in league play, beating Virginia 63-51 and routing Boston College 103-77, but ran into perennial ACC powers Duke and North Carolina, dropping those two meetings by 27 and 15 points, respectively. In the Mustangs’ 82-67 loss at UNC on Tuesday, they shot 33.3 percent from the field and made just 4 of their 18 3-point attempts.
Now SMU will try to snap a two-game skid and earn its first victory of the calendar year.
“We missed seven straight layups in the first half, and they were able to get out in transition and take the lead on us,” SMU head coach Andy Enfield said of the North Carolina loss. “It was an uphill battle from there. … We hope that Saturday we come out, play great and hold home court.”
In the defeat at Chapel Hill, Chuck Harris scored 18 off the bench and starter B.J. Edwards followed with 15. On the season, Wake Forest transfer Boopie Miller leads the team with 15.3 points per game, while Harris chips in 11.8.
It took Georgia Tech (8-8, 2-3) until Dec. 31 to post its first power conference win of the season, when the Yellow Jackets topped Notre Dame 86-75. Since then, they beat Boston College by 21 last Saturday but fell at Syracuse on Tuesday 62-55, snapping a three-game winning streak.
The Yellow Jackets struggled on the offensive end against Syracuse, shooting 36.4 percent from the field and making 4-of-21 (19 percent) 3-pointers.
“We had just eight assists; we’ve got to be better in that area,” Georgia Tech head coach Damon Stoudamire said. “We’ve got to do a better job of figuring out each game, letting the game settle in on the offensive end of the floor when things aren’t going your way. Collectively, guys have to figure out how to get other guys easy shots. These are things we’re looking for as we move forward to Saturday.”
Georgia Tech’s leading scorer Lance Terry (15.8 points per game) had 18 points in the loss. Baye Ndongo adds 12.3 points per contest and a team-leading 6.9 rebounds per game.
–Field Level Media
