The Mustangs are coming off just their second conference win of the season Saturday night against Rice.

After its first win of the year, SMU traveled to Tulsa and lost by 12 points. The Mustangs have to build off wins when they can get them.

This time SMU has a chance to follow up a win with a home game.

The Mustangs have not put together back-to-back wins since late December when they defeated Prairie View A&M and Texas State. That needs to change if SMU wants to put some wins together.

Senior leadership has been the key to success this year for the Mustangs.

A career game from Jon Killen gave the Mustangs their overtime win against UCF, and a 20-point game from Derrick Roberts sealed the win against Rice.

But after the game against UCF, no one was able to step up and continue what Killen had started. That can’t be the case against Marshall.

The Thundering Herd are coming off a big win against East Carolina at home. A 34-point victory for Marshall over the Pirates means the Herd will bring in momentum of their own.

But the Mustangs are playing at home.

In his blog, head coach Matt Doherty thanked the students for all of their support during conference games this year.

“You all make a big difference in our level of play. Our guys play harder and with more confidence,” Doherty wrote in the blog.

And it has shown in their play. SMU lost to Tulsa at home by just one point on a last-second shot. The Mustangs were then defeated by double digits when they traveled to play the Golden Hurricane on the road.

The Mustangs will not play consecutive home games until facing UTEP and Memphis early in March.

The bottom line is, this team has proven that they can play and compete with teams. They have also proven that they are a better team at home.

Those two advantages must come together for the Mustangs tonight. If they do, SMU can come away with another big home conference win.

And with a young team, it could be the confidence boost needed going into a two-game road trip.