Frog-Marched - cusa-fans.com

[mr. pony]

Frog-Marched
Shooting Woes Stifle SMU In 60-53 Home Loss To TCU
By Rick Atkinson for cusa-fans.com
http://www.cusa-fans.com/

DALLAS - On a night when the Mustangs couldn’t hit the broad side of Moody Coliseum from 3-point range, when one of their most reliable shooters failed to score and when free throws were a crap-shoot at best, SMU (2-3) nearly beat TCU.

Trailing the Horned Frogs Wednesday night, 54-53, with 37 seconds left, SMU’s Derek Williams toed the free throw line with a chance to put the Mustangs on top as SMU fans anticipated a pleasing win over their scaly archrival.

But both shots clanged and a bitter ending unfolded: SMU wouldn’t score again and the Frogs sank six straight free throws to finish it.

“I sit before you encouraged because I think we did a lot of good things,” said SMU coach Matt Doherty afterward. “Some things we didn’t do well I think we can fix. I don’t think we’re going to go 0-13 every game from the 3-point line and I don’t think we’re going to go 5-12 from the foul line … and I don’t think you’re going to see [another] game where [guard] Paul McCoy is 0-4 and doesn’t score.”

In this 185th meeting between the two schools, (only Rice has played SMU more) the Mustangs looked in control for a half before collapsing in the Second Act. That’s when TCU hit SMU in the mouth with a 23-6 run - including five 3-pointers - to lead, 46-34, with 11:07 left to play.

SMU rallied back to within a point, 50-49, at the 3:14 mark - paced by Williams’ nine points - but never regained the lead.

Guard Edvinas Ruzgas led TCU (5-3) with 22 points, including four of five from behind the 3-point arc. As a team, the Frogs nailed 8 of 15 shots from downtown. Moss and Zvonko Buljan each had 14 points for TCU.

“It’s a rivalry-type game,” said second-year TCU coach Jim Christian. “You knew [SMU] was going to make a run. We did a lot of things down the stretch that gave us a chance to win. We made free-throws, which was huge, and we hit some timely threes, which is what you have to do on the road.”

How was McCoy shutout?
“Guys like that,” Christian said, “if you let them get going early, it’s hard to stop them. So we put our most athletic guy [6-7 Garlon Green] on him because he’s such a key for them. Just his length, I think, maybe got to him and we were able to contain him.”

McCoy is 5-11.

Said Doherty, “I feel for [McCoy] because I think that he feels just so tight because he wants to do so well for this team, for this school, for himself. … You just have to let the game come to you. And it’s easier said than done.”


Papa Dia, left, works the lane

Good Start - Again

As they have four of five games this season, the Mustangs left the gate well, leading 8-0 before the Frogs managed a point. SMU led, 28-23, at the half.

Mouhammad Faye collected his first career double-double for SMU (11 points, 12 rebounds) and Papa Dia had a season-high 16 points, with five boards. Williams also tallied 16 points. But with other scoring woes, it wasn’t enough.

“When we get everyone operating on all cylinders, we can be pretty darn good,” Doherty said.

Doherty said he stressed “finishing” at halftime, but the team came out flat. He added that when Ronnie Moss hit a TCU 3 ten seconds into the second half, he knew “something was about to change.”

“You’ve got to give TCU credit,” Doherty said. “They’ve got some really tough-minded kids that can really shoot the basketball.”

Is Doherty surprised the Mustangs’ shooting isn’t better with a new practice facility at their disposal? “No, you know what? Sometimes you’d probably be better to put the baskets up and tell them to get the heck out of the gym. When I played, [North Carolina coach Dean Smith] at times would tell me, ‘Get out of the gym. You’re not allowed to shoot after practice.’ It depends on your personality. You could overwork it. You could want it too much.”

After last Monday’s less than lackluster 4-point win over NAIA Huston-Tillotson, Doherty said he was embarrassed to be coaching this SMU team.

Williams said the comment hadn’t negatively affected the squad. “Not at all,” he said. “We took it as what it was. We all were embarrassed. … That was supposed to be an easy 30-point win. We probably underestimated them and looked past them to TCU.”

Doherty said there were no “gut check” practices after Huston-Tillotson, though they “went hard” the next day.

“We’ve got something here to build on,” he said. “I’m more excited about this team than I was after the [Texas] A&M game or the South Florida game.”

SMU lost to USF and A&M, 67-61 and 80-68, respectively, to open the season.



Prewitt In The House

“I’m disappointed,” said former SMU coach Bob Prewitt from his seat after the game. “I was hoping we could beat the Frogs. We needed to win badly.”

Prewitt coached the Mustangs eight seasons, from 1967-75, sharing the Southwest Conference championship with Texas in 1972 with a 10-4 league mark. He finished with a 56-56 mark in SWC play and coached three-time SWC Player of the Year Gene Phillips along the way.

“Oh, we had some good teams, some good kids,” he said.

Prewitt said he comes to games now when he feels up to it.

Prewitt succeeded the legendary E. O. (Doc) Hayes, who coached the Mustangs from 1947-67, collecting eight SWC titles and leading SMU to its only Final Four appearance in 1956.

Prewitt, who enrolled in SMU in 1946, played two seasons for Hayes and was his only assistant for 17 years before becoming head coach.

“There’s a tremendous difference in the game now,” Prewitt said. “The kids are more athletic. They move quicker, there’re a little bigger, a little stronger. It’s a different game than it was.”

“The three-point shot changed the game and the game is called differently, I think,” he said.

SMU’s new men’s basketball practice courts are named in Prewitt’s honor.

SMU’s Next Two:
*Texas State, Monday, December 7, 7 p.m.
*at Occidental College, Saturday, December 19, 4 p.m.

[Hoop Fan]

pretty cool writeup. Pruetts spot on quote: “I’m disappointed,” said former SMU coach Bob Prewitt from his seat after the game. “I was hoping we could beat the Frogs. We needed to win badly.”