The SMU basketball team will be holding open tryouts tonight in the Crum Basketball Center beginning at 6. In an effort to provide students the chance to be a part of the 2009-10 team, head coach Matt Doherty and his staff will hold a series of four practices to weed out any hidden talent that may be on campus.

“It makes the students feel like they are a part of our program and gives them an idea of what players go through and then you never know, you might find a good player,” Doherty said.

Since Doherty took over as the head coach in 2006, the team has held open tryouts, with six student-athletes joining the team through this opportunity over a three-year span.

Beginning tonight, students will report to Crum for the first of two practices, before Doherty and his staff issue the first round of cuts. Those invited back will work out in another two-game series before the final announcement is made of who is invited to play on the team.

All participants are required to bring a copy of their current class schedule to the first practice.

Upon receiving the opportunity to play with the Mustangs, student-athletes are given the chance to accept the offer or walk away. There is no practice team established of those who do not qualify.

“[The athletes] work out with the team and then we give them a week to choose if they are on the team or not,” Doherty said. “We want to give them a legitimate chance. We don’t want to give them just one tryout. “

Each year, the tryouts draw an average of 50 students, according to Doherty. While there is no guarantee on anyone making the team, Doherty said the team usually picks up one or two players.

In 2006, the Mustangs took four student-athletes for the team. In 2007, two students were selected. None of the six mentioned athletes are currently members of the 2009-10 team.