The Mustangs will look to turn around a season that starting with a hot Mustang team that has since cooled off. SMU will look for their first conference win tonight against Tulane. (Nick McCarthy)
An SMU team that had a seven-game winning streak earlier in the season is going through some hard times. The four-game losing streak is the longest of the season and could not have come at a worse time.
The beginning of conference play has been a road block for SMU. The 0-4 start is the worst conference start since the Mustangs were in the Southwestern Conference during the 1993-94 season.
There may be no such thing as a must-win game in sports, but tonight’s game against Tulane is the closest thing to it. It is the last home game before the Mustangs go on a three-game road trip that includes conference powerhouse Memphis.
The Mustangs will need to hold onto the ball and put it through the hoop if they expect to get their first conference win against Tulane.
The two biggest weaknesses for SMU have been turnovers and shooting percentage. One of those was fixed over the weekend as the Mustangs found their stroke, but they still couldn’t hit shots at the end of the game.
And the turnover factor has gotten worse – errant passes directly to the other team, not being able to get the ball past mid-court and not being able to keep the ball inbounds.
In the Mustangs’ last game, UTEP was able to score 28 points off turnovers. SMU lost by seven points.
SMU has had issues getting the ball to midcourt. The Mustang offense against a backcourt trap has struggled all season long, and teams are now starting to take advantage of that.
Ike Ofoegbu continues to put up points for the Mustangs, but has cooled as of late and Devon Pearson has been inconsistent in C-USA games. If the Mustangs can find some consistency, that would be the first step to a turnaround.
Bamba Fall continues to be impressive inside and is a strong addition to the starting lineup. Fall starting means Donatas Rackauskas comes off the bench, bringing much-needed experience and points.
Brian Epps also needs to have more consistant play. Against UCF, Epps scored 14 points and compared to his two against UTEP, making one of two shots.
The Mustangs will take on the Green Wave at 7 p.m. at Moody Coliseum.
