North Carolina A&T Preview

[PonyPride]

This Game:
NORTH CAROLINA A&T Aggies (3-9)
at
SMU Mustangs (9-2)
 
Sat. Dec. 30 - 7:00 pm CT
Moody Coliseum (8,998)
Dallas, Texas
Radio: KAAM 770 AM
Internet: Mustang All-Access
 
The SMU Mustangs (9-2) return home to Moody Coliseum to host the North Carolina A&T Aggies (3-9) on Saturday, Dec. 30, at 7 p.m. This is the first meeting between the two programs and the two head coaches. Mustangs’ coach Matt Doherty faced the Aggies twice in home games while the head coach at North Carolina, winning 104-66 on Dec. 27, 2001, and 93-57 on Feb. 18, 2003. That was prior to Jerry Eaves taking over at North Carolina A&T.
 
This begins a four-game homestand for the Mustangs in a stretch with nine of 12 contests at Moody Coliseum. The Mustangs are 5-0 at home, which is their best home start since since winning 10 straight at Moody to open the 2000-01 season. The homestand includes matchups with Texas-Pan American on Jan. 4 and Brown University on Jan. 6. The stretch concludes with the Conference USA opener against Southern Miss on Jan. 10. Head coach Matt Doherty is making his second attempt for career victory 100 as he enters with a 99-73 head coaching record.
 
As of Dec. 29, the Mustangs are No. 21 in the RPI and No. 61 in the Sagarin ratings.
 
The Mustangs lead Conference USA in four of 19 statistical categories. The Mustangs are best in the league in scoring defense (56.5), FG percentage defense (37.5), 3FG percentage defense (28.4), and rebounding defense (28.5). The Mustangs are second in C-USA  in rebound margin (+9.6). Individually, Killen leads the league in steals (2.36) and is second assists (5.55). Donatas Rackauskas is second in rebounds (8.7). Bamba Fall is tied for the league lead in FG Percentage (.667) and is second in blocked shots (2.64).
 
AN SMU WIN MEANS: SMU improves 10-2, which would match the best 12-game since an 11-1 start in 1999-2000.  The Mustangs would be 6-0 at homefor the first time since starting 10-0 at home in 2000-01.
 
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: The Mustangs are 5-0 at home this season. The Mustangs defeated Dayton 53-48, Louisiana-Monroe 99-66, Paul Quinn 76-54, Texas College 79-63, and Prairie View A&M 68-51 in the season-long five-game homestand from Nov. 18 to Dec. 13. The 5-0 home start is the best since winning the first 10 home games of the 2000-01 season.
 
W MINUS 1 TO 100: Head coach Matt Doherty has 99 career wins. (22 at Notre Dame, 53 at North Carolina, 15 at Florida Atlantic, 9 at SMU)
 
LAST GAME: NORMAN, Okla. (AP) - Junior center Longar Longar had 20 points and a career-high 15 rebounds on Thursday night as Oklahoma's dominant early season defensive run continued with a 69-42 win over SMU. The Sooners (8-3) snapped SMU's seven-game winning streak, the Mustangs' longest since the 1999-2000 season. SMU (9-2) failed in its first attempt to give coach Matt Doherty his 100th career win. Doherty previously coached at North Carolina and Florida Atlantic. SMU guard Jon Killen kept the Mustangs close in the first half, scoring seven straight points and 10 of his team's first 18 points. Devon Pearson's 3-pointer pulled the Mustangs within 20-15, but they came no closer. Oklahoma freshman guard Tony Crocker finished with 14 points, three rebounds and two assists. Two layups by Crocker and a dunk and free throw by Longar ended a 20-5 run by the Sooners to open the game, and SMU never caught up. Clark followed Pearson's shot with a powerful post-up move and basket halfway through the first half. A few plays later, however, he crumpled to the floor in the middle of a drive with the injury. With the Sooners ahead by 16 points early in the second half, Longar ended any hopes the Mustangs had with an emphatic dunk off of an inbounds pass from freshman guard Bobby Maze. Oklahoma shot 53.1 percent from the field. Pearson led SMU with 15 points, while Killen scored 11 and Donatas Rackauskas added 10 points and eight rebounds. The Mustangs shot 30 percent from the field.
 
ON THE AIR: The Mustangs are on KAAM 770 AM in Dallas/Fort Worth. Rich Phillips, Allen Stone, and Jay Poerner bring you all the SMU basketball action and news from around Conference USA.
 
OFF THE COURT NEWS:
DEC. 8 - SMU Breaks ground on Crum Basketball Center
The Mustangs broke ground on the Crum Basketball Center on Dec. 8. It is a $13 million, 43,000 sq. ft. training center that will be open in the Fall of 2007. (complete information on page 10 of the game notes)
DEC. 19 - SMU Adds George Lynch To Staff
George Lynch, a 12-year NBA veteran and NCAA Champion, joined the SMU men's basketball staff as the team's administrative assistant/graduate manager. Lynch averaged 22.8 minutes, 6.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 774 games during his 12 NBA seasons. He was selected in the first round (12th overall) by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1993 NBA draft and played for four franchises: Lakers, Vancouver Grizzlies, Philadelphia 76ers, and New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. He was named All-Atlantic Coast Conference and All-Final Four Tournament in 1993 after helping lead the North Carolina Tar Heels to the NCAA Championship. Lynch also played in the NBA Finals in 2001 when his 76ers won the NBA Eastern Conference.
DEC. 20 - Inside College oops With Matt Doherty Begins Jan. 8
SMU men's basketball coach Matt Doherty will have a weekly one-hour radio show beginning Jan. 8. Inside College Hoops with Matt Doherty is hosted by Rich Phillips, the voice of the Mustangs, and will be on KAAM 770 AM, the home of Mustangs' basketball. The weekly event will be held at Ten Sports Grill in downtown Dallas. Fans can also listen to the show at SMUMustangs.com. The show runs from Jan. 8 to March 26 beginning at 7 p.m. The first show on Jan. 8 will begin at 6 p.m. due to the BCS Championship game that evening. The show is a partnership of ISP Sports, SMU Basketball, Ten Sports Grill and KAAM 770 AM. (more information and a complete schedule on page 4 of the notes)
 
EYE ON THE RPI: The RPI is one of the principal components the NCAA selection committee uses to determine the field for the NCAA Men's Tournament. It has three primary components. It does not include non-Division I opponents in SMU’s record (Paul Quinn and Texas College). The Mustangs finished the 2005-06 season at No. 269 in the RPI and No. 198 in the Sagarin ratings.
Part I (25% of the formula): Team winning percentage.
Part II (50%): Average opponents' winning percentage.
Part III (25%): Average opponents' opponents' winning percentage.
The Mustangs reached No. 7 in the RPI on Dec. 8
                                                            1-50      51-100  101-200 201+     Non Conference L10       R/N
Rnk                  Conf      W-L      SOS     W-L      W-L      W-L      W-L      W-L      RPI       SOS     W-L      W-L
21         SMU     CUSA  7-2        76         0-1        2-1        2-0        3-0        7-2        23         85         7-2        4-2
16         Florida St.         ACC     11-2      L, 59-52 at FSU on 11/14/06
67         Dayton  A-10     10-2      W, 53-48 at SMU on 11/18/06
71         Oklahoma         B12      7-3        L, 69-42 at Oklahoma on 12/28/06
78         Illinois St.          MVC     7-4        W, 57-55 at SMU on 11/12/06
 
OUR FTM IS MORE THAN YOUR FTA: Head coach Matt Doherty sets a goal for the Mustangs to make more free throws than the opponent attempts. Here is a look at the season to date.
            SMU     Opp                  Goal     Result
11/12    18-25    7-9        vs. Illinois State Yes      W, 57-55
11/13    10-17    3-4        vs. McNeese State         Yes      W, 70-54
11/14    7-9        13-18    at Florida State  No        L, 59-52
11/18    27-40    12-24    Dayton  Yes      W, 53-48
11/22    15-22    15-19    Louisiana-Monroe           No        W, 99-66
11/27    20-24    12-19    Paul Quinn        Yes      W, 76-54
12/3      13-22    9-10      Texas College    Yes      W, 79-63
12/13    10-19    2-4        Prairie View A&M           Yes      W, 68-51
12/16    12-15    7-12      at Centenary      No        W, 68-40
12/21    16-23    12-19    at TCU  No        W, 64-62
12/28    7-11      11-17    at Oklahoma      No        L, 69-42
Season 155-227 103-155 NO       Yes 6-0 / No 3-2
 
BUZZER BEATERS:
11/12 vs. Illinois State - W, 57-55 - Devon Pearson gave the Mustangs an opening-night victory against Illinois State as he tipped in a miss from Derrick Roberts as time expired for the 57-55 triumph. Pearson tipped it in from the right side of the basket after Roberts’ 12-foot jumper from the left baseline skipped across the rim.
12/21 at TCU - W, 64-62 - Dez Willingham hit a running 3-pointer from the left wing as time expired to give SMU the 64-62 win. The play started when Derrick Roberts received the inbounds pass and threw it to Donatas Rackauskas at mid-court. Rackauskas took two dribbles and fed Willingham on the left wing for the game-winner. The lead changed hands four times in the final 17 seconds. Brent Hackett gave TCU a 60-59 lead on a 3-pointer with 17 seconds remaining. Jon Killen was fouled by Kevin Langford three seconds later and hit both free throws. Killen was then called for a blocking foul against Ryan Wall with 8.9 seconds to go. Wall hit both free throws to give TCU a 62-61 edge that set up the final play.
 
WHERE THERE IS A “WILL”INGHAM, THERE IS A WAY: Dez Willingham has beat the buzzer with a running 3-pointer twice to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat:
Dec. 21, 2006 - W, 64-62 at TCU - Willingham hit a running 3-pointer from the left wing as time expired to give SMU the 64-62 win. He received a pass from Donatas Rackauskas as the Mustangs went the length of the court for the winner in the final 8.9 seconds. The lead changed hands four times in the final 17 seconds.
Jan. 21, 2006 - Rice W, 80-69 (ot) - The Mustangs forced overtime after Willingham hit a 25-foot three-pointer to tie the game at 64-64 with a half a second left in regulation. That concluded an SMU rally from seven points down with 1:37 remaining in the second half.
 
DOUBLE-DOUBLES: Devon Pearson entered the season with 11 career double-doubles, which was the most by an active player in C-USA. He was the only current Mustang with any entering 2006-07. Pearson had nine in 2005-06.
2006-07 Double-Doubles
Player   Stats    Opponent          Season Career
Ike Ofoegbu       26 pts, 10 rebs  La-Monroe 11/22            1st        1st
Devon Pearson  19 pts, 10 rebs  Texas College 12/3        1st        12th
Ike Ofoegbu       14 pts, 10 rebs  Prairie View A&M 12/10  2nd       2nd
Ike Ofoegbu       13 pts, 11 rebs  at Centenary 12/16         3rd        3rd
 
JON “SHOOTER” KILLEN: Coach Matt Doherty called Jon Killen “shooter” during the summer to help him think more aggressively on offense. The mindset is showing.
2004-05 Fr.        46 points in 28 games (1.6 avg)
2005-06 So.       57 points in 29 games (2.0 avg)
2006-07 Jr.         77 points in 11 games (7.0 avg)
 
I LIKE IKE: Ike Ofoegbu has become a force for the Mustangs this season. In just six games, he has almost matched his totals from last season in scoring, free throws, and field goals while drastically increasing his averages
            Points   Avg.      Rebs     Avg.      FG        3FG      FT
2005-06 102       3.8        82         3.0        35-62    0-1        32-50
2006-07 143       13.0      81         7.4        45-79    7-17      46-65
 
HONORS:
Colonial Classic All-Tournament (SMU went 2-1)
            Jon Killen (10.7 points, 5.4 assists, 3.3 steals)
            Ike Ofoegbu (14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds)
 
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARDS: Devon Pearson became the 29th player at SMU with 500 career  rebounds when he passed the mar against Louisiana-Monroe 11/22.
REBOUNDING (CAREER)
  1. 1169 - Jon Koncak - 1981-85
  2. 1077 - Ira Terrell - 1972-76
  3. 976 - Jeryl Sasser - 1997-01
  4. 889 - Larry Davis - 1981-85
  5. 840 - Jim Krebs - 1954-57
  6. 790 - Willie Davis - 1997-01
  7. 785 - Jeff Swanson - 1974-78
  8. 759 - Patrick Simpson - 2001-05
  9. 745 - Joel Krog - 1953-56
 10. 690 - Tim Mason - 1989-93
 11. 687 - Carroll Hooser - 1963-66
 12. 669 - Lynn Phillips - 1966-69
 13. 650 - Quinton Ross - 1999-03
 14. 634 - Eric Castro - 2001-05
 15. 621 - Terry Williams - 1983-87
 16. 619 - Steve Strange - 1958-61
 17. 615 - Jan Loudermilk - 1959-62
 18. 609 - Greg Kinzer - 1989-93
 19. 580 - Bill Voight - 1966-69
 20. 574 - John Colborne - 1985-90
 21. 562 - Mike Wilson - 1990-93
 22. 554 - Gene Phillips - 1968-71
 23. 550 - Wilbur Marsh - 1957-60
 24. 541 - Devon Pearson - 2003-06
 
FAMILIAR FOE: The Mustangs have met seven opponents more than 100 times.
Rice      182       111-71  Feb. 10@SMU, Feb. 24@RU
TCU      182       100-82  W, 64-62 - Dec. 21@TCU
Baylor   175       100-75
Texas A&M       175       90-85
Texas   174       71-103
Arkansas          153       59-94
Texas Tech       104       47-57
 
BLOCK PARTY: Bamba Fall’s 2.64 blocks per game are second Conference USA. He was 11th in the Dec. 17 NCAA statistics. In 2005-06, Bamba Fall set the SMU freshman record with 53 blocks last season in just 18 games. (Passed the previous record of 43 by Ira Terrell in 1972-73). He also led C-USA with 3.36 per league contest.
 
Bamba Fall - Blocks                   GP       2+        3+        4+        5+        6+
2005-06             Fr.        18         15         10         8          3          1
2006-07             So.       11         8          5          3          2          1
                        Total     29         23         15         11         5          2
 
BLOCKED SHOTS (CAREER)
1. 278 - Jon Koncak - 1981-85
2. 169 - Ira Terrell - 1972-76
3. 151 - Patrick Simpson - 2001-05
4. 129 - Reggie Franklin - 1977-79
5. 88 - James Gatewood - 1990-94
6. 82 - Bamba Fall - 2005-07
7. 81 - Quinton Ross - 1999-03
8. 78 - Brad Branson - 1978-80
9. 69 - Bobby Dimson - 1994-98
10. 67 - Thines Robinson II - 1974-78
     67 - Jeryl Sasser - 1997-01
12. 65 - Glenn Puddy - 1984-86,87-89
13. 58 - Willie Davis - 1997-01
      58 - Larry Davis - 1981-85
      58 - Nigel Smith - 1998-99,00-03
16. 57 - Donatas Rackauskas - 2002-07
 
MASTERS OF HIS DOMAIN: Fifth-year senior Donatas Rackauskas will have his masters in accounting in May 2007. He finished his bachelor’s in accounting in December 2005 (3.5 years). He is in his fifth season because he missed the 2004-05 season due a preseason knee injury.
 
SMU MILESTONES:
- The Mustangs won seven consecutive games (Nov. 18 to Dec. 21) for the first time since winning 10 in a row to start the 1997-98 season
- The Mustangs swept a homestand of five or more games for the first time since a six-game stretch in the 1997-98 season
- The Mustangs won a school-record five games in November, finishing the month 5-1. The Mustangs had previously gone 4-0 in November to start the 1997-98 and 2000-01 seasons.
- SMU had its first 2-0 start against Div. I opponents since a 4-0 start to the 2000-01 season. The 2-0 starts in 2004-05 and 2001-02 included non-Div. I victories. (Savannah St. in 2001-02 and UT-Tyler in 2004-05)
 
LONG TIME, NO SEE: SMU has had a few numbers in the boxscore that have not seen in a while
- SMU scored 99 points against La.-Monroe 11/22 - last time was 101 at Puerto Rico - Mayaguez 12/20/2000 (W 101-72)
- Jon Killen had 10 assists against La-Monroe 11/22 - last time was Bryan Hopkins with 10 against TCU on 11/24/2002 (W ot, 87-84)
 
SMU RECORD UPDATES: Additions or changes to the SMU record book during the 2006-07 season.
SMU Single-Game - Team
            3FGM   T-5th - 12 vs. McNeese State 11/13
                        T-5th - 12 La-Monroe 11/22
SMU Single-Game - Individual
            FTA      T-7th - 17 by Ike Ofoegbu vs. Illinois State 11/12
 
COACHING EXPERIENCE: Head Coach Matt Doherty has assembled a coaching staff of Associate Head Coach Mike Garland, Assistant Coach Lance Irvin, Assistant Coach Steve Lutz, and Director of Operations Malcolm Farmer. The coaching staff entered the season with totals of 49 years of collegiate coaching with 16 conference crowns and 12 conference tournament championships. They have earned 26 postseason appearances, including 18 bids to the NCAA Tournament with 14 trips to the Sweet 16, nine Elite Eights, six Final Fours and two National Championships. The coaching staff has also guided 32 players to the NBA.
 
MUSTANG HOOPS BLOG: SMU Mustangs’ head coach Matt Doherty has his own blog at www.MustangHoopsBlog.com.
 
SMU RECORD FOR NATIONAL TV EXPOSURE: The SMU Men's Basketball team has a school record five nationally televised games during the 2006-07 regular season. The Mustangs play four games on CSTV and one game, at Memphis, on ESPN. The Mustangs' games on CSTV include TCU, both match-ups with Houston and the home game against Memphis. The Mustangs play the first three televised games on the road before playing the final two at home in Moody Coliseum.
Thu, Dec. 21, at TCU (CSTV) - W, 64-62 on Dez Willingham 3-pointer at buzzer (Tom Hart, Steve Lappas)
Saturday, Jan. 13, at Houston - 5 p.m. (CSTV)
Saturday, Feb. 3, at Memphis - 11 a.m. (ESPN)
Wednesday, Feb. 7, vs. Houston - 7 p.m. (CSTV)
Saturday, March 3, vs. Memphis - 8:30 p.m. (CSTV)
 
R-T-C: Head Coach Matt Doherty uses the initials RTC to represent his vision for the Mustangs. They are Respect, Trust and Commitment. The red wristbands the players wear have RTC as well as several signs around the Mustangs’ locker room and offices.
 
QUOTABLE: Quotes by and about SMU from the 2006-07 season.
 
Dec. 28 - Postgame - at Oklahoma (L, 69-42)
Matt Doherty (on the blowout loss)
“One of the worst losses I've been a part of. I don't mind losing the ball game, but if we're in a fight, I'd at
least like to throw a punch. They just are mentally tougher than we are. I don't know if we'll get there. This game really exposed that in us unlike any other game we've had this year."
 
Matt Doherty (on what the Mustangs do going forward)
"We have to learn from this. I really don't care about Saturday's game [against NorthCarolina A&T]. I care about finding a toughness in our team. If that means running the heck out of them in practice tomorrow, that's what I'll do. We've got to be tougher or otherwise we're just pretending to be a good team."
 
Dec. 21 - Postgame - at TCU (W, 64-62)
Dez Willingham (on what he was thinking before he hit the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer)
"It happened so fast. ... All I was thinking was, 'It's going to be on me. I can miss it, or I can win it.' "
 
Dez Willingham (on adjusting to his role of coming off the bench this season)
"It's been a different role for me, but I've accepted it. I just want to win.”
 
Matt Doherty (on Dez Willingham hitting the game-winner)
"Christmas came early. I talked about how our guys have accepted roles, and no one has done it better than him. He's not complained. Does he like it? Probably not. But he hasn't let it affect his play."
 
Neil Dougherty, TCU head coach (on Dez Willingham’s 3-point game winner)
"It's a very, very tough shot. He just knocked it in."
 
Dec. 20 - Announcement of Inside College Hoops With Matt Doherty
Matt Doherty (on the weekly one-hour opportunity to talk college hoops in DFW)
"I am fired up to talk SMU basketball with college basketball fans all throughout Dallas and Ft. Worth. Ten Sports Grill is an awesome spot for basketball fans to gather and talk hoops!"
 
Sean Johnson, Assistant Vice President, General Manager Mustang ISP Sports Network (on the show)
"The Mustang ISP Sports Network is very excited to be able to grow the broadcast opportunities for SMU Athletics by working with Coach Doherty on this unique show. Through our partnership with SMU, we will continue to create new opportunities that fans and alumni will find enjoyable and informative.  We look forward to the success of this new venture and building on our partnership with SMU Athletics."
 
Chad Lewis, Owner of Ten Sports Grill (on hosting the show at Ten Sports Grill each week)
“Ten Sports Grill is looking forward to hosting Inside College Hoops with Matt Doherty. We are excited about the new dynamic that he brings not only to SMU basketball, but also to the Dallas community.  I think Ten Sports Grill and Matt Doherty are the perfect fit as we are a part of the new growth of downtown Dallas; Coach Doherty will be a part of the success of the SMU basketball program."
 
Dec. 19 - George Lynch Joins SMU Staff As Administrative Assistant/Graduate Manager
Matt Doherty (on George Lynch joining the Mustangs)
"I am excited to announce the addition of George Lynch to our staff. His background speaks volumes, but it is George's character that sets him apart.  He will help our program with day-to-day operations, along with mentoring our young men.  Our players couldn't find a better role model than George."
 
George Lynch (on the opportunity to join Matt Doherty’s staff at SMU)
"I'm excited about the opportunities and challenges that Coach Matt Doherty has awarded me in working with SMU, his staff, and his players. Coach Doherty has established a good foundation for building something special here at SMU."

[Pony_Fan]

Maybe we could suit up Lynch and nobody would know.

[MrMustang1965]

ponypride: once again, you guys on pf.com outdid yourselves with this preview. take a bow!

[Stallion]

Its the SID release-isn't it. If not great job on the preview ponyfans.com-you really outdid yourself.

[Hoop Fan]

good job, but its hard to get excited about these dogmeat games especially after the OU debacle. The home schedule is really poor this year. I know Doherty is trying to build some momentum, but you gotta give the fans one or two decent games. If you are gonna lose games by 30, might as well beg Roy Williams to bring Unc here as a favor to Doh. Hey, he brought Kansas to Fort Worth to play Neil Dougherty a few years ago.

[MustangIcon]

good job, but its hard to get excited about these dogmeat games especially after the OU debacle. The home schedule is really poor this year. I know Doherty is trying to build some momentum, but you gotta give the fans one or two decent games. If you are gonna lose games by 30, might as well beg Roy Williams to bring Unc here as a favor to Doh. Hey, he brought Kansas to Fort Worth to play Neil Dougherty a few years ago.

With the addition of extra home games against UH and Memphis I would say our schedule is more difficult than last season even though our OOC is littered with awful teams other than Ill. St,, FSU, Dayton, OU, and TCU (they are awful but at least they are a rival). I think next season you might see a little stronger schedule with Doherty's third season showing a much better schedule and a post season bid.

[ALEX LIFESON]

The OU fans managed to get excited about their "dogmeat" a couple of nights ago.

[MrMustang1965]

TCU (they are awful but at least they are a rival)

I'd like to remind you that the Mustangs defeated that 'awful' TCU team on a last-second 3 point basket.