The SMU men’s basketball team had been waiting 219 days for last Friday’s preseason-opening practice.

It had been that long since the Mustangs’ 22-point, season-ending loss to Texas-El Paso in the first round of the Conference USA Tournament, and this year’s squad was hungry to hit the hardwood again.

NCAA rules prohibited teams from holding daily practices before the unofficial first day of practice, which was Oct. 17.

However, the team was allowed two hours each week during the fall to run drills and work on fundamentals. That allowed players to work with coaches and receive feedback on skills that needed improvement before daily practices began.

“We’re all getting better,” said Bamba Fall, the Mustangs’ only senior. “I like what I’m seeing from everyone right now.”

Last year’s team, which featured seven true freshmen, finished 10-20 overall and 4-12 in conference. The Mustangs said they will try to flip their record to 20-10 this season, which likely requires continued improvement from their young roster and significant contributions from newcomers.

The Mustangs figure to be much deeper this year, and SMU head coach Matt Doherty said the team may also be more talented. However, the Mustangs must replace departed seniors Jon Killen, Derrick Roberts and Paulius Ritter; and weaving the newcomers into the lineup will be a primary focus during training camp.

“I think the biggest void we have to fill right now is leadership,” said Doherty. “I think we may have a group of more talented players, but the question is, who will be the leaders and who will be the followers?”

Fall, Papa Dia, Mike Walker, Ryan Harp and Alex Malone, who combined to average 38.9 points per game last season, are the core returning players from last year’s squad. They will be joined by junior college transfer Derek Williams and freshmen Paul McCoy, Frank Otis and Justin Haynes. Mouhammad Faye, a transfer from Georgia Tech, is slated to join the team at the end of first semester.

Walker was part of the deep freshman class last season and said it feels better this preseason camp to “know what we’re getting into.”

The first few days of collegiate practice can be daunting for freshmen, but Walker said he was confident that this year’s incoming class can handle the initial pressure of practicing with a new team and coaching staff.

The Mustangs hope to have a solid lineup in place by Nov. 14 for the season opener at the University of South Florida. Walker said finding team chemistry shouldn’t be much of a problem.

“We’ve got a pretty wild group of guys that likes to have fun,” Walker said. “When you have guys that like to have fun, regardless of the scenario, I think it translates onto the court.”