SMU looks to continue its perfect start to the season and build on a dominant win Friday when Arkansas State visits Dallas for the schools’ first meeting.
The Mustangs (5-0) rarely have been challenged during their season-opening seven-game homestand — with their latest triumph being Tuesday’s 106-60 walloping of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. A half-dozen SMU players scored in double figures with Jaron Pierre Jr. and Boopie Miller leading the way with 23 points and a 15-point, 10-assist double-double, respectively.
Corey Washington and Jermaine O’Neal Jr. each had 15 points for the Mustangs and Samet Yigitoglu and B.J. Edwards added 11 apiece in the win. SMU stacked up a season-high 27 assists on 37 field goals.
“Boopie and B.J. have been playing extremely well,” SMU coach Andy Enfield said. “We’ll rely on those guys for leadership and consistency because, as you know when you have half the team as freshmen, freshmen are a little inconsistent at times. Our senior guards have to carry us, and they have been.”
The 46-point win tied the 10th-largest victory margin in SMU history. It marked the third straight game the Mustangs had at least five players score in double figures, their longest such streak since December 2017.
The Red Wolves (3-2) head to Dallas after an 85-72 loss Wednesday at Saint Mary’s in California. Christian Harmon poured in a season-high 21 points while Matt Hayman added 12 and Royal Blue Smith had 10.
The Red Wolves shot just 37.7% from the floor in Wednesday’s loss, but were still within five points with 12:40 to play before succumbing late.
Friday’s game will be the fifth on the road for Arkansas State, which was picked to finish second in the Sun Belt in former Alabama assistant Ryan Pannone’s first year at the helm.
Pannone’s approach is beginning to take hold.
“Playing for Coach Pannone is something completely different as far as trust and giving you the ability to go out and play his offensive style,” said Red Wolves guard Joey Chammaa, per the student newspaper The Herald. “For a player, that’s everything — it gives you confidence. You play with a sense of weight lifted off your shoulders and just go out there with a clear mind, executing in a flow-type offense.”
–Field Level Media
