Rice game - scrimmage?

[DallasDiehard]

If I can count right (and I offer no such assurance), I think that means we're in 10th place with a game to go before the C-USA tournament. I don't know if a win at Rice moves us to #9, but we don't want that. The winner of the #8-#9 game gets deep-fried and slapped on a plate to Memphis, while the winner of the #7-#10 game probably gets a second-round matchup with the Tofi-less UTEP Miners. Suffice it to say that's a MUCH better matchup.

I'm not saying the guys shouldn't play hard at Rice, but don't worry about the score. Work on setting screens, playing tough defense, protecting the ball and making shots.

[MFFL02]

I don't expect them to play hard anyways....finally losing will pay off.

[bagice]

Hell,

Its not like we are going deep in the tournament anyway. IF we could win the first round game, I would just as soon play Memphis then. Bottom line, no matter who we play on day two, if we make it that far, we will prob lose.... May as well play the number 3 team in the nation and get some publicity....which would not be bad if we could keep it respectable.

Don't get many chances to play a team that highly ranked, would love to play them in the tourney.

[Corso]

We hung close against UTEP twice, and that was when they had Tofi, and before Bamba Fall really got his feet wet. He's got a long way to go, but there's no reason we can't compete with UTEP with Tofi on the shelf. We might not win, but .... we just might.

Go Mustangs!

[MustangIcon]

I agree with bagice. Moral victories mean nothing to a team that seems to hang its hat on moral victories year in and year out(many of which are actually losses that everyone takes pride in bc we hung tough vs a good team such as the OU game this year). If we are to do anything to turn our season around we would have to win the CUSA tourney. To win the CUSA tourney we have to go through Memphis at some point. Might as well catch them in an early round where they expect less from us rather than after they have seen us beat a couple solid opponents.

CUSA Tourney Champs or Bust. Ya its a lofty goal, but I just can't set the bar at "Wow wouldn't it be great if we can win 2 whole games in a row!?"

[Pony4Life]

Well said, Icon.

[Sam I Am]

In Vietnam, the natives would say that if something was good that it was number 1. They also said that if something was bad that it was number 10. Well, in the CUSA tournament, SMU is number 10 - literally and figuratively.

[MustangIcon]

I know there has been lots of debate about Hopkins recently on the board (and through much of his SMU career). While he has not done as great as expected sometimes, he IS capable of taking over games. If he plays like he is capable of we could definitely knock a few teams off- especially if Morris is back for the CUSA tourney.

True NBA prospects shine for their teams in crucial moments, even when their supporting cast is not as good as if they were at a top flight program. Guys like Kirk Snyder, Kyle Korver and numerous others I am not able to come up with off the top of my head played big for their teams regardless of the fact that they might have been outmatched in overall team talent by their opponents. Bottom line is- true NBA prospects play like NBA prospects regardless of their surroundings and Hop could help his chances by showing he is a force and can take over games in the CUSA tourney.

[abezontar]

Unfortunately for BHop they are going to look at all four years of his college career, and I think there are too many examples like last years first round WAC Tourney beating by Rice where he wasn't a force at all. For BHop that has been the norm.

[Stallion]

well I guess we'll just see if we can break 40 next year without him.

[MustangIcon]

Abe, that is my point. True NBA players don't fade away and have games where they are non existant, regardless of their team. Everyone has off games, but as an NBA prospect they are not near as frequent as we have seen over Hop's career.

Like I said though, he can go a long way in proving doubters wrong by dominating some games in the CUSA tourney this year and leading us to a few wins (which he is fully capable of).

[abezontar]

I'm agreeing with you to a point. He may have that capability, I just don't think that if he suddenly pours it on and takes over games in the CUSA tourney this one year that it will make up for his inability to do it the previous three.