A Season of Promise Continues to Darken

Diehard Pony · Post by **Diehard Pony** » Sat Feb 21, 2004 9:00 pm

This is clearly the most puzzling season I can remember at SMU, and that goes back quite a few years. We start the season playing excellent team ball that results in the two biggest wins in Dement's career at SMU, including his first win over a Top 25 team. The game against Wake was also impressive.

Since then the team has been in free fall and seems destined to finish with a losing record, and in next to last place in the WAC.

It is very difficult to understand both of these happening in the same season in the absence of key injuries, etc. I've never been higher and lower in the same season about an SMU basketball team.

Pony_Fan · Post by **Pony_Fan** » Sun Feb 22, 2004 12:33 am

I feel your pain. This has been a very rough year. I've said this many times before but the team was struggling to score last year and w/out Q seems to be a bigger problem than I thought it would be. Isham is a big stinker this year period. It certainly doesn't help when another PG has to score all the time (wow, is this a trend or what) and nobody can drain a wide open 10 footer. It's really pathetic and sad. I am so disinterested now it's not even funny.

Charleston Pony · Post by **Charleston Pony** » Sun Feb 22, 2004 8:39 am

actually, Isham played one of his better games since before the Christmas break yesterday. I was actually encouraged by that. I'm trying to remind myself that I felt before the season started that we were still a year away from competing for the WAC title and post season play. Those early season wins against TTech and Purdue teased me, but the losses to San Diego and App St were a reminder that our starting 5 isn't very consistent and we aren't 10 deep with guys who can consistently contribute.

I still think this team is capable of beating anyone in the WAC and that this year's tournament offers everyone but San Jose a "chance to dance". Every year there are a few major upsets in these conference tourneys. I keep hoping someday we will be one of those stories. Not likely based on what we've been seeing, but definitely possible.

BigEasyPony · Post by **BigEasyPony** » Sun Feb 22, 2004 7:38 pm

I like your optimism heading into the conference tournament and do agree that SMU is capable of beating most of the teams in the WAC (probably not Rice), but I do disagree about this team's chances of winning the conference tournament. While we may be capable of beating most teams we are not capable of making a run through the tournament. we are far too inconsistent. This team is incapable of putting together a string of wins given their emotional state. I'm afraid this season is done and we'll be searching for a new HC shortly. I will be cheering as always though that our Mustangs can make that big run!

Pony_Fan · Post by **Pony_Fan** » Mon Feb 23, 2004 9:08 am

I agree, I like the optimistic fan but there is very, very slim chance this team is going to win the WAC tourney, especially on the road trying to string a few games together. I'll be suprised if they get out of the 1st round. A team might get 'hot' towards the end of the reg season and surprise everyone, but that isn't going to happen for the Mustangs. They can hardly win 1 game much less 3-4. There are usually a few close games and the Ponies can't seem to win any of those lately.