National perception

[PonyPride]

SOUTHERN METHODIST

GETTING INSIDE— Freshman point guard Bryan Hopkins is living up to the hype.

The Dallas native was one of the most coveted recruits in the country last year, drawing comparisons to the University of Texas' super point man T.J. Ford. The Longhorns tried to get Hopkins, but he cast his lot with Mike Dement's team instead, quickly earned a starting spot ... and it's been full speed ahead.

Hopkins, 6-feet and 195 pounds, has raised his level of play — and his scoring lately — averaging 19.6 points in his past seven games.

He is coming off a career-high 25-point performance at San Jose State, making 8 of 12 shots from the field and 4 of 7 three-pointers. Also to his credit this season is a double-double (21 points, 11 rebounds vs. Louisiana Tech) and a game-winner with 11 seconds left to beat Gardner-Webb 64-63 on Dec. 28.

His 13.4 scoring average ranks 10th in the WAC and is tops among freshmen, giving SMU (6-7 overall, 1—2 WAC) hope for this season and beyond.

NOTES AND QUOTES— Coach Mike Dement laments his team's schedule, but there's nothing else to do but play it out.

"Our schedule is poor," Dement said. "We've got five of our first seven on road, including three in a row. I don't know what we did to draw this assignment."

SMU went 1-2 on its WAC-opening three-game road trip, losing to Louisiana Tech and Hawaii before beating lowly San Jose State. After a two-game homestand, it's back on the road for tough games against Rice and Tulsa.

LINEUP: Point guard Bryan Hopkins, wing Quinton Ross, wing Justin Isham, forward Patrick Simpson, center Eric Castro.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "The games we've won we've had four, five guys contributing. That's the pattern that we need." — SMU coach Mike Dement.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL— UPCOMING GAMES: vs. Fresno State, Thursday, Jan. 16; vs. Nevada, Saturday, Jan. 11.

KEYS: SMU's perimeter attack is in fine shape with potential league scoring champ Quinton Ross (this season) and potential league scoring champ Bryan Hopkins (next season and beyond). That might be good enough to get past Nevada, but it's how the Mustangs will match up with Fresno State's muscle that will tell the tale in that game.

PERSONNEL/INJURIES
— Guard Justin Isham, who has been suffering from a wrist injury, returned against San Jose State, scoring six points but fouling out in 19 minutes. The sophomore is averaging 8.0 points per game and was "playing up to the level of Quinton Ross" before the injury, according to coach Mike Dement.

— Center Nigel Smith did not make last week's trip to Hawaii and San Jose State because of a sinus problem.

— Quinton Ross is averaging 19.4 points per game and is battling Hawaii's Carl English for the WAC scoring lead.