Turnovers have dampened the positives from SMU’s two wins to open the season, and rectifying that area will be goal No. 1 when the Mustangs host Prairie View A&M on Tuesday night in Dallas.
The contest will be the third of six home games to kick off the Mustangs’ campaign. SMU’s most recent outing was a 95-70 win over VMI on Thursday. Oziyah Sellers racked up 21 points while going 5-for-7 from 3-point range to lead five Mustangs in double figures in scoring.
Jacob Patrick scored 15 points in just 12 minutes of court time while hitting all five of his 3-point attempts to help the Mustangs pull away down the stretch. Jermaine O’Neal Jr. added 14 points for SMU (2-0), with Jakub Szumert scoring 12 and Jaden Toombs 10.
The Mustangs shot 53.2% from the field and 48.3% from 3-point range.
“We passed the ball with 26 assists,” SMU coach Andy Enfield said afterward. “We shared the ball, hit guys when they’re open, and then we knocked some shots down.”
The biggest mistake? The Mustangs committed 19 turnovers that led to 14 points for VMI. And that was after racking up 21 turnovers in their season-opening 85-72 win over Southern on Nov. 2.
“I think we have some growth to do in certain areas, but that’s what the games are for,” Enfield said.
Prairie View A&M (2-1) heads to Dallas after a 68-63 loss on the road to UT Rio Grande Valley on Saturday. Davis Bynum totaled 26 points and 12 rebounds in the setback, which snapped the Panthers’ two-game winning streak that came against NAIA and NCCAA programs.
Anthony Gause added 14 points off the bench for the Panthers, who held UT RGV to 39.2% shooting from the floor but couldn’t make enough plays down the stretch.
This Prairie View squad is much different than the one that beat Lehigh in the NCAA First Four last season before eventually losing to Florida in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
“I think from a standpoint of depth, I think we’re in much better shape than we were last year,” Panthers coach Byron Smith said. “We’ve got more guys that can do things with the basketball.”