PonyFans.com

PRESS RELEASE FROM CONFERENCE USA:


A Few Facts About the 2006-07 SMU Mustangs:
          *        RPI is No. 10, according to kenpom.com, and is currently the highest ranked team in C-USA

          *        The Mustangs strength of schedule is ranked 18th
          *        Posted good wins over Dayton and Illinois State (who have won six
straight)
          *        Their only loss was on the road at Florida State (59-52) and the
Seminoles defeated Florida
          *        The Mustangs are 4-0 at home this season, which is their best start
at Moody Coliseum since a 10-0 start in 2000-01 season.
          *        The 6-1 record is their best mark since an 8-1 start, also in 2000-
01.
          *        SMU takes a 10-day break for exams, but returns to action on Dec.
13 as host to Prairie View A&M. Tip-off is 7 p.m. CT at Moody
Coliseum.
*        The Mustangs will get their first national TV audience of the season on Dec. 21, with a 7 p.m. CT tip-off at rival TCU.  SMU will make
five appearances on national television during the regular season.
          *        The community is excited about Matt Doherty's arrival. Coach Doherty has met most everyone involved with SMU athletics and has
even started a blog to keep everyone from alumni to students to potential players up-to-date on the program.
(www.smumustangs.com)
          *        SMU has committed to the program by planning upgrades to historic Moody Coliseum, including planned installation of a new state-
of-the-art scoreboard this month.
          *        A new playing floor and sound system for Moody Coliseum will be added next year.
          *        This Friday, Dec. 8, SMU is breaking ground on a $13 million, 43,000-square foot practice facility
(http://www.smu.edu/giving/basketball_center.asp) that will house both the men’s and women’s basketball programs, each with
their own separate court.
·                     “We are a year away from having a first-class facility that will rival the best in the business. We will be able to show top notch
recruits a state of the art facility that will be a beautiful addition to our breathtaking campus. Our players will benefit from quality practice time in a first-rate building that will also house updated scouting equipment to go along with strength, training, medical and locker facilities.” - Coach Matt Doherty

Although I doubt our RPI's going to stay in the Top 10 , there's a lot to get excited about with SMU basketball!

Don’t want to take anything away from this start, but I hope we as fans don’t start putting unrealistic expectations on this team because of the RPI ranking.

Question. If the guys are off for 10 days for exams, why is it the women are playing? Seems that when I was in school the men and women took exams at the same time.

mrydel wrote:Question. If the guys are off for 10 days for exams, why is it the women are playing? Seems that when I was in school the men and women took exams at the same time.

Did they offer everybody those little gowns that tie in the back?

jtstang wrote:

mrydel wrote:Question. If the guys are off for 10 days for exams, why is it the women are playing? Seems that when I was in school the men and women took exams at the same time.

Did they offer everybody those little gowns that tie in the back?

Only for graduation day.

LA_Mustang wrote:Don’t want to take anything away from this start, but I hope we as fans don’t start putting unrealistic expectations on this team because of the RPI ranking.

I can agree with this statement to a point, but I think it is worthy to point out that we have actually earned this and should be proud of it and look at it as a measuring stick of how we can play this season.

Our wins over Dayton and Illinois keep looking more impressive every day, and the the fact that we were leading FSU on their home court in the second half and had a legimate shot to win late is something that cannot be ignored.

Those are three big time efforts by the ponies, so yeah.....I have high expectations

SMU Basketball is for real. Their RPI won't stay this high, but the team is playing great. We can expect good things this year and for years to come. Moody is gonna rock.

and do you think CUSA is regreting the preseaosn prediction of SMU finishing 7th in conference?

Those Tubbs recruits are doing pretty well.

I am really hoping for a top 4 finish. You have to figure that Memphis, Houston, and UAB will be ahead of us and I would put us in the same boat as UTEP, could finish ahead of them, could finish behind them.

I will be happy with a number 5 finish or higher. Other than rankings, what I want to see this team do is win the games it is supposed to, don't tank against anyone we should beat. SMU has done this ever since we last went dancing. That is key number 1

Next, I would like to see at least one upset, considering that we get a shot at Oklahoma, at UAB, and two games each against Houston and Memphis...I want us to win at least one of these games, in my mind that would be huge, to show that we can play with the big boys, and I will go on record now predicting that we will win one of those.....something I would never have thought I could do before the season started.

I want a signature win during the season. That, I assume would be one against Memphis, Houston, or Oklahoma. That would make me feel better about this year. I am very happy about future prospects for the team, but I want some gratification this year in order to keep the surge that Coach D has started going.

EastStang wrote:Those Tubbs recruits are doing pretty well.

heh, point taken....although I consider this proof of one of Doherty's best moments so far.....recognizing and developing talent....

Ever since he had a chance to evaluate the team he was harping that Ike and Killen were top notch players that would do great things and everyone was skeptical because these guys hardly ever made it off the bench during the time of Tubbs and Dement. But Doherty recognized their potential and brought it out pretty darn quick. This is why he is such a great recruiter, he has a great eye for potential that others miss.

I don't think SMU beating Oklahoma would be an upset if it were at a neutral site. OU was hit hard by their coaching change. Most of their recruits bolted and they lost key seniors like Bookout. Remember last year's game had OU winning 50-49. I have the right mind to drive to Norman to watch the mustangs stick it in the sooners and give all my annoying sooner friends some well deserved [deleted] bragging...

I have been giving serious thought to making the trip too!