Sophomore Bamba Fall will be looked to be a defensive force in his second season at SMU.

The Matt Doherty era of Mustangs’ basketball is about to begin.

SMU opens up the season in the Colonial Classic at the Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallassee, Fla. on Sunday.

The Mustangs will play three games in three days with the highlight being Tuesday night’s match-up against Florida State.

SMU brings a new look to the 2006-07 season.

The highlight of the off-season was the hiring of new head coach Matt Doherty, and has continued on in a successful scrimmage against Baylor and exhibition game against Houston Baptist.

In the exhibition game there was one stat that stuck out, turnovers. The Mustangs turned the ball over 29 times on Saturday, but Doherty isn’t too worried.

“There is slippage when you get into a game situation,” said Doherty “that’s why there are exhibition games.”

SMU is also running a new style offense this season. Doherty said that “the guys have to trust in each other and the system, and they will, they’re good guys and we’ll get better.”

The first two opponents for the Mustangs are not big names.

On Sunday SMU will take on Illinios State. The Redbirds finished last season with a 9-19 overall record, and were 0-1 at neutral sites.

The Redbirds defeated the University of Missouri-St. Louis 83-58, making 57 percent of their shots.

Next the Mustangs will face McNeese State on Monday afternoon.

The Cowboys defeated Dillard University 68-44, and played another exhibition game late Thursday night.

Last season McNeese State went 14-14 and did not play a game at a neutral site.

The premier game of the classic is Tuesday night against Florida State.

In the Seminole’s exhibition game FSU defeated Nova Southwestern 96-66 on Tuesday night.

The Seminoles went 20-10 last season and made it to the second round of the NIT.

After the Colonial Classic the Mustangs will return home for a five game home stand at Moody Coliseum.