Feb. 8, 2008

RICE Owls (3-18, 0-8 C-USA) at SMU Mustangs (7-13, 1-6 C-USA) - Sat. Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. CT - Moody Coliseum (8,998) - Dallas, Texas - TV: TXA 21 (Doug Anderson, Ira Terrell) - Radio: KAAM 770 AM (Rich Phillips, Allen Stone) - Internet: Mustang All-Access

Complete Game Notes in PDF Format

The SMU Mustangs look for a second-straight home win as they host the Rice Owls on the front end of a two-game homestand. The last home game was a 69-67 overtime win against UCF on Jan. 26. This is the first meeting with Rice this season and is the 185th meeting in a series that dates back to 1918. SMU holds a 111-73 lead in the meetings. The Mustangs visit the Owls in the regular-season finale on Sat., March 8, at 2 p.m. The Mustangs next game is also at home against Marshall on Wed., Feb. 13, at 7 p.m. The Mustangs are coming off a 77-48 loss at No. 1 Memphis on Wednesday.

In C-USA games, Killen is leading the league in assists (6.43) and minutes (36.14), third in 3-pointers (3.57), third in 3FG percentage (.481), sixth in assist/turnover ratio (2.14), eighth in FG percentage (.527), and seventh in scoring (16.6). His 12 assists against Houston on Jan. 16 are also the most in a league game this season. Overall, he is averaging 4.85 assists (3rd in C-USA, 67th in NCAA) and has a 1.86 assist/turnover ratio (8th in C-USA). Bamba Fall in conference play is averaging 11.0 points (t-24th C-USA), 5.3 rebounds (16th in C-USA), and 2.57 blocks (2nd in C-USA). He is averaging 2.35 blocks on the season which is third in the league and 27th in the NCAA.

SMU Men "Pony Up For The Cure" AGAINST RICE: The SMU basketball teams are making efforts to raise awareness of breast cancer. The "Think Pink" initiative was started last year by the WBCA to help raise awareness and show support as a community against breast cancer, the second leading cause of death for all women and the leading overall cause of death in women between the ages of 20-59. The Mustangs will show support by wearing "Pony Up for the Cure" pink shirts during warm-up. The SMU coaches, band and cheer and pom squads will also wear pink apparel. On Feb. 14, the women's team will participate in the WBCA's "Think Pink" initiative when the Mustangs host Memphis at 7 p.m. Proceeds from the event and silent auction will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation of Dallas County.

SERIES HISTORY vs. RICE: This is the 185th meeting for the Mustangs and Owls with SMU holding a 111-73 advantage after sweeping the games last season; 63-60 at SMU on Feb. 10, and 75-66 at Rice on Feb. 24. loss in Dallas on Feb. 10. The Mustangs have played and defeated Rice more than any other opponent in school history. The Ponies have played TCU 183 times. The Rice series dates to Feb. 18, 1918, when SMU won 33-23 in Houston. The two teams have been members of the same conference since the 1918-19 season when both were members of the Southwest Conference. Both programs moved to the Western Athletic Conference in 1996 and then to Conference USA in 2005. Last season, SMU won two of three meetings. The games have been close in the series with seven of the last eight decided by five points or less or overtime. The Mustangs have won two of the last four meetings overall, but have not won at Autry Court since a 89-83 triumph on Jan. 23, 2003.

FAMILIAR FOE: The Mustangs have met seven opponents more than 100 times. Rice 184 111-73 F9 @SMU, M8 @ Rice TCU 183 101-82 D5@SMU (W, 71-65) Baylor 175 100-75 Texas A&M 175 90-85 Texas 174 71-103 Arkansas 153 59-94 Texas Tech 104 47-57

TV CHANGE: The SMU men's basketball home game on Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. will be on KTXA 21. The home game against UAB will now be show instead of the game at Houston on Feb. 16. This will allow fans that can't get to Moody Coliseum to watch the game in which SMU great Jon Koncak's will be honored during a halftime ceremony and have his jersey raised to the rafters of Moody Coliseum

LAST GAME: MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Short-handed Memphis showed off its depth with one impressive performance Wednesday night. Reserve guard Andre Allen scored a career-high 19 points, Joey Dorsey had 10 points and 14 rebounds and the top-ranked Tigers beat SMU 77-48 to extend the nation's longest home-court winning streak to 45 games. The Tigers played without Robert Dozier, who served a suspension related to an off-the-court incident. Dorsey was held out of the starting lineup because of his inconsistent play in last weekend's win over UTEP and Chris Douglas-Roberts was limited to 13 minutes because of the flu. Dorsey had started 91 of 93 games since his freshman season with the Tigers (22-0, 8-0 C-USA). Allen went 5-for-8 from 3-point range and 7-of-13 from the field overall in a season-high 23 minutes. His effort helped offset a four-point outing by Douglas-Roberts. Without Dozier, averaging 10.5 points and 7.3 rebounds, and with Douglas-Roberts limited, the Tigers struggled in the opening minutes. Memphis missed seven of its first eight shots and, after Bamba Fall's hook shot fell, was behind 7-3. Calipari eventually got a spark from Allen, who fueled a 14-3 run with two 3-pointers and a driving layup. The Tigers followed that run with another, scoring 15 of the game's next 17 points on their way to 40-18 halftime lead. Allen had another 3-pointer during the second run. In the second half, the Tigers stretched their lead to 40 points. The Tigers committed only seven turnovers, including one in the first period. Fall and Jon Killen scored 12 points apiece for SMU (7-13, 1-6), which has lost eight of its last nine games.

LAST SEASON vs. RICE: F10 at SMU (L, 63-60) - Morris Almond scored 29 points to help lead Rice to a 63-60 victory over SMU. Almond made the go-ahead basket with 1:14 remaining after SMU's Jon Killen tied the game at 60 on a free throw. The Mustangs had a chance to tie the game after Almond's 3-pointer, but Brian Epps missed a 3-pointer with one second remaining. Ike Ofoegbu scored 16 points and grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds to lead the Mustangs (13-11, 2-8). Epps and Dez Willingham each scored nine points. Devon Pearson also had nine rebounds as the Mustangs finished with a 31-25 advantage on the glass. Lorenzo Williams added 14 points for the Owls (13-10, 7-3 C-USA). Paulius Packevicius led the team with seven rebounds. Rice trailed 34-28 at the break but closed the gap in the second half, hitting 57 percent from the floor. The Mustangs built the halftime edge with 52 percent shooting in the opening half. F24 at Rice (L, 75-66) - Morris Almond scored nine of his 19 points in the final six minutes as Rice pulled away with a 75-66 win over SMU. After the opening minute, Rice (14-13, 8-6) trailed only once, but the Mustangs stayed close much of the game. SMU (14-14, 3-11) tied the game at 52 on a Derrick Roberts jumper with 10:10 left only to have the Owls go on a 10-2 run to open a 62-54 cushion with 4:24 showing. The win offset a 30-point performance by SMU's Ike Ofoegbu, who connected on 11 of 15 shots from the field. Jon Killen added 12 points for the Mustangs while Dez Willingham and Donatas Rackauskas each scored 10. Ofoegbu and Rackauskas also had 10 rebounds each. It made for Ofoegbu's Conference USA leading 10th double-double of the season and fifth in a row. It was the first career double-double for Rackauskas. Also scoring in double digits for Rice were Aleks Perka with 12 points and Lorenzo Williams and Patrick Britton, each with 10 points. The Owls shot 61 percent from the field. Rice reeled off 11 unanswered points to open a 13-3 advantage with 13:39 left in the half. The Owls maintained a comfortable lead much of the first half, opening their biggest lead at 30-18 on a Rodney Foster trey with 4:11 showing. Rice eventually settled for a 34-28 lead at halftime.

SMU TO ENSHRINE JON KONCAK'S NO. 53 JERSEY ON FEB. 23 : SMU will raise Koncak's jersey in Moody Coliseum during a halftime ceremony on Feb. 23. Koncak wore no. 53 during his basketball career from 1981-85. He is one of two All-Americans from SMU men's basketball, earning the honor during the 1984-85 season. He led the team to two NCAA Tournaments in 1984 and 1985, advancing to the second round each year. Koncak led the team in scoring his final three years while compiling a 67-29 record in that span. The Mustangs spent the entire 1984-85 season in the AP top-25, reaching as high as No. 2 at the end of January. He was a member of the gold-medal winning 1984 U.S. Olympic team. Koncak was a first-round selection of the Atlanta Hawks in the 1985 NBA draft and went on to a 12-year NBA career, spending the first 10 seasons with the Hawks. He holds SMU career marks of first in rebounds (1169), first in blocks (278), third in scoring (1784), and second in FG percentage (.559). Koncak is the second player to be so honored by SMU men's basketball, joining Jim Krebs. Krebs wore no. 32 from 1954-57 and was an All-American in 1956-57. Krebs helped lead the Mustangs to three straight Southwest Conference titles and the 1956 NCAA Final Four. Previous Honorees: Raymond Berry - FB; Cash Birdwell - FB; Eric Dickerson - FB; Forrest Gregg - FB; Lamar Hunt - FB; Karlin Kennedy - WBB; Jim Krebs - MBB; Doak Walker - FB

MILESTONES ON THE HORIZON: SMU career blocks - Bamba Fall is 3rd, 162 (2nd Ira Terrell 169; 1st Jon Koncak 278) SMU career assists - Jon Killen is 13th at 314 (12th Stephen Woods 323), Derrick Roberts is 20th at 232 (19th Carlton McKinney, 236; 18th Michael Jaccar 239). SMU career steals - Jon Killen is 9th at 132 (8th Jemeil Rich 136)

STREAKS: 10+points: Jon Killen 5 (19, 15, 28, 13, 12), Bamba Fall (12) 8+ rebounds: Dbl-Dbl: 5+ assists: 3+ steals: 2+ blocks: Bamba Fall 3 (3, 2, 4)

HEAD COACH Matt Doherty...is in his seventh season as a head coach and his second season at SMU. This is his 17th season in collegiate coaching with eight NCAA Tournaments, seven conference titles, a Final Four appearance and the 2001 AP National Coach of the Year award. He also has 21 players that have gone to the NBA. He has a 111-101 record including a 21-30 mark on the Hilltop.

LEVELS: LED-TEAM GP 10+Pts 8+Reb Dbl-Dbl 5+Ast 3+Stl 2+Blk Pts Reb Ast Stl Blk 0 Paulius Ritter 18 - 4 - - - - - 6 - - - 1 Bennie Rhodes 6 - - - - - - - - - - 1 10 Alex Malone 20 9 1 - - 1 2 3 1 - 3 1 12 Jon Killen 20 14 - - 11 7 - 6 1 16 11 - 13 Brett Holland 1 - - - - - - - - - - - 14 Tomasz Kwiatkowski 3 - - - - - - - - - - - 15 Derrick Roberts 19 8 - - 2 1 - 5 - 6 2 1 21 Bamba Fall 20 13 5 2 - - 15 5 5 - - 17 22 Mike Walker 20 5 - - - 3 1 2 1 4 6 - 23 Joston Benton 1 - - - - - - - - - - - 24 Robert Nyakundi - - - - - - - - - - - - 30 Ryan Harp 20 3 2 1 2 - - - 1 4 4 - 33 Cameron Spencer 13 - - - - - 1 - - - 2 1 42 Papa Dia 18 9 6 2 - 2 4 2 11 1 3 3

PLAYER NOTES: PROBABLE STARTERS 12 - Jon Killen (co-captain): 12.8 pts, 3.9 rebs, 4.9 asts, 1.6 stls, 1.83 ast/TO, 41.7% 3FG, played in all 108 games during his career C-USA Player of the Week, J28 (21.5 pts, 6.0 ast, 4.5 reb, 1.0 stl, 50.0% FG (16-32), 41.7% 3FG (10-24)) - at [1] Memphis: tied for team-high with 12 points (4-8 3FG), 4 rebounds, 4 assists - at Tulsa 2/2: 13 points (5-8 FG, 1-2 3FG), 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, block - UCF 1/26: Career-high 28 points (10-17 FG, 7-13 3FG), 7 assists, and 6 rebounds in 42 minutes - Tulsa 1/19: Scored 19 (17 in the 2nd half) on 8-12 FG, 3-3 3FG with team-highs of 6 assists and 3 steals - Houston 1/16: Played all 40 min and career-best 12 assists (4 turnovers) with 5 ps, 3 rebs, and a steal; most assists by a Mustang since Jeryl Sasser had 12 against Rice on Jan. 31, 1998. - at UTEP 1/9: career-high 24 points (9-16 FG, 6-11 3FG), and team-highs of 6 rebs and 6 asts; his 6 3FGM were the most by an SMU player since Bryan Hopkins hit 7 3FG against TCU on Dec. 30, 2005 (W 52-49) - Houston Baptist 12/9: Had 18 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals against - TCU 12/5: Had 14 points (9 in final 5 minutes), 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and a block - Centenary 11/17 - Then career-best 22 points with 6 rebounds and 3 assists - Led team in: scoring 6x (Centenary 22, at UTEP 24, Tulsa 19, at Tulane 15, UCF 28, at [1] Memphis 12); rebounds (at UTEP 6); assists 16x (Southern 4, Alabama State 5, at Dayton 5, at UTSA 2, TCU 6, Prairie View A&M 2, Texas State 8, Stephen F. Austin 4, at Colorado 6, at UTEP 6, Houston 12, Tulsa 6, at Tulane 5, UCF 7, at Tulsa 5, at [1] Memphis 4); steals 11x (Southern 3, Alabama State 4, TCU 3, Houston Baptist 3, SC-Upstate 2, Texas State 4, at Colorado 2, Houston 1, Tulsa 3, at Tulane 2, at Tulsa 3)

15 - Derrick Roberts (co-captain): 9.4 pts, 3.2 rebs, 2.3 asts, 1.16 ast/TO, 24-28 FT in last five min of games this season - at [1] Memphis: 7 points, rebound, steal - at Tulsa 2/2: 11 points (5-11 FG, 1-3 3FG), 3 rebounds, 3 assists - Texas State 12/29: Team-high 16 pts, tied career-high 4 steals, plus 5 rebs and 3 asts; was 8-8 FT in last 1:48 - Houston Baptist 12/9: Tied career-high 22 points with team-high 7 assists, and just 1 turnover - TCU 12/5: Had a game-high 18 points - UTSA 12/1: Scored 10 points with 4 FT in final 16 seconds to seal win - Led team in: scoring 5x (TCU 18, Houston Baptist 22, Prairie View A&M 15, Texas State 16, Stephen F. Austin 12); assists 6x (Southern 4, Centenary 4, at Dayton 5, Paul Quinn 3, Houston Baptist 7, SC-Upstate 4); steals 2x (Texas State 4, at [1] Memphis 1), blocks (at UTSA 1) - Named to SMU Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team (28 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals in 2 games)

20 - Bamba Fall: 11.0 pts, 5.7 rebs, 2.4 blocks, 60.8% FG, 72.6% FT - at [1] Memphis: tied for team-high with 12 points (5-8 FG), team-high 4 blocks, and 2 rebounds - at Tulsa 2/2: 7 points, 2 rebounds, 2 blocks - UCF 1/26: 11 points and team-high 8 rebounds with 3 blocks and an assist - at Tulane 1/23: Team-high 15 points with 5 rebounds - Houston 1/16: 3rd career double-double on 13 points (4-5 FG, 5-5 FT), 10 rebounds, 4 blocks, and an assist - Texas State 12/29: 15 points (7-7 FG, 1-2 FT), 3 rebounds, and 3 blocks - Paul Quinn 11/27: Had second career-double-double (11 points and 11 rebounds) - Centenary 11/17: Career-high 18 points (8-9 FG) plus 7 boards and 2 blocks - Led team in: scoring 5x (Alabama State 15, SC-Upstate 15, at Colorado 11, at Tulane 15, at [1] Memphis 12); rebounds 5x (Alabama State 8, Paul Quinn 11, Prairie View A&M 9, Houston 10, UCF 8); blocks 17x (Alabama State 5, Centenary 2, at Dayton 1, Paul Quinn 2, at UTSA 1, TCU 2, Houston Baptist 2, SC-Upstate 4, Prairie View A&M 4, Texas State 3, SFA 2, at UTEP 3, Houston 4, Tulsa 2, UCF 3, at Tulsa 2, at [1] Memphis 4) - Double-doubles: Paul Quinn (11 pts, 11 rebs), Houston (13 pts, 10 rebs) - Named All-Tournament at SMU Holiday Classic (12.0 points, 10-14 FG, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 blocks)

30 - Ryan Harp: 4.6 pts, 3.0 rebs, 2.1 asts, 1.37 ast/TO - at [1] Memphis: 7 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds - at Tulsa 2/2: 4 points, 2 assists, 2 steals - UCF 1/26: 3 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal in 35 minutes - Houston 1/16: 12 points, 5 boards, 3 assists, and a block - at UTEP 1/9: 8 points, team-high 6 assists, and a steal in first start since Dec. 1 at UTSA - Texas State 12/29: 14 points, team-high 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and a steal - Paul Quinn 11/27: Had a double-double (10 points and 10 rebounds) in first start with 3 assists and a steal - Led team in: rebounds (Texas State 9); assists 4x (Paul Quinn 3, at UTSA 2, at UTEP 6, at [1] Memphis 4); steals 5x (Paul Quinn 1, at UTSA 2, SFA 1, UCF 1, at [1] Memphis 1) - Double-double: Paul Quinn (10 pts, 10 rebs)

42 - Papa Dia: 10.3 pts, 6.8 rebs, 0.8 blocks, .9 stls, 47.7% FG - at [1] Memphis: 6 points, team-high 7 rebounds, assist - at Tulsa 2/2: 9 points (4-4 FG), 7 rebounds, assist, steal in 21 minutes after missing 2 games (hamstring) - Tulsa 1/19: Scored 18 with 7 boards, a block, a steal, and an assist - Houston 1/16: 21 pts (10-15FG) and 3 rebs; first freshman since Bryan Hopkins in 2002-03 with a 20-pt game - at UTEP 1/9: 12 points (5-12 FG, 2-3 FT) plus team-highs of 6 rebounds and 2 steals as well as 2 blocks - TCU 12/5: 12 points & 8 rebounds - Southern 11/10: Started and had double-double in his first career game (11 points and 13 boards) - Led team in: scoring 2x (Paul Quinn 19, Houston 21); rebounds 11x (Southern 13, at Dayton 7, at UTSA 8, TCU 8, Houston Baptist 7, SC-Upstate 8, at Colorado 7, at UTEP 6, Tulsa 7, at Tulsa 7, at [1] Memphis 7); assists (at UTSA 2); steals 3x (Alabama State 4, SFA 1 at UTEP 2); blocks 3x (Southern 2, at UTSA 1, Houston Baptist 2) - Double-double 2x: Southern (11 pts, 13 rebs), Paul Quinn (19 pts, 10 rebs)

RESERVES: 0 - Paulius Ritter 2.7 pts, 4.6 rebs, 50.0% FG (18-36) - at [1] Memphis: 2 points, 3 rebounds, assist - at Tulsa 2/2: 2 points (1-1 FG), team-high 7 rebounds in 14 minutes - UCF 1/26: 2 points and a rebound in 7 minutes - Stephen F. Austin 12/30: 6 pts, career-high 9 rebs, and a block - Houston Baptist 12/9: 7 pts (3-3 FG) & 7 boards - TCU 12/5: 6 pts, 8 rebs, 2 asts, and a steal - Led team in: rebounds 6x (Centenary 8, at UTSA 8, TCU 8, Houston Baptist 4, SFA 9, at Tulsa 7)

1 - Bennie Rhodes: 2.5 pts, 1.3 rebs in 6 games - out appoximately six week with a stress fracture in his lower left leg from Jan. 4 (missed game at Colorado) - Paul Quinn 11/27: Had 6 points (2-2 FG, 1-1 3FG, 1-2 FT) and a block - at Dayton 11/24: Added 5 points, 2 boards and a block in 8 minutes - Led team in: blocks (at Dayton 1)

10 - Alex Malone: 8.2 pts, 3.4 rebs, 32.8% 3FG - at [1] Memphis: 2 points, 2 rebounds, assist, steal in 19 minutes - at Tulsa 2/2: team-high 14 points (4-8 FG, 3-5 FG), 6 rebounds - UCF 1/26: 9 points, 2 rebounds, 2 blocks, and an assist - Houston1/16: 15 points and 7 rebounds - at UTEP 1/9: 3 points and 4 rebounds - at Colorado 1/4: Had 11 points, including 9 straight, and an assist - TCU 12/5: 10 points, 4 boards, 3 assists, and a block - Named to the Tip-Off Classic All-Tournament Team after totaling 29 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and a block in the two games - Led team in: scoring 3x (Southern 19, at Colorado 11, at Tulsa 14); steals 3x (Centenary 3, SFA 1, at [1] Memphis 1); blocks (at UTSA 1).

13 - Brett Holland: Played in final minute against Paul Quinn 11/27

14 - Tomasz Kwiatkowski: Played 3 games - last at Dayton - at Dayton 11/24: Had a rebound in 5 minutes - Centenary 11/27: Had 2 boards in 2 minutes

22 - Mike Walker: 6.1 pts, 2.4 rebs, 2.2 asts, 1.10 ast/TO - at [1] Memphis: 4 rebounds in 23 minutes - at Tulsa 2/2: 2 assists, rebound - Houston Baptist 12/9: 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals - at UTSA 12/1: Team-high 13 pts (3-5 3FG,4-4 FT) - at Dayton 11/24: Team-high 16 points (5-10 FG, 4-7 3FG) plus 3 assists in first start - Led team in: scoring 2x (at Dayton 16, at UTSA 13), rebounds (Houston Baptist 7); assists 4x (Centenary 4, Paul Quinn 3, SC-Upsatte 4, Stephen F. Austin 4); steals 6x (Centenary 3, Paul Quinn 1, Houston Baptist 3, Prairie View A&M 5, SFA 1, at [1] Memphis 1)

23 - Joston Benton: Played in final minute against Paul Quinn 11/27

24 - Robert Nyakundi: Expected to redshirt

33- Cameron Spencer: 0.9 pts, 1.9 rebs in 13 games - at [1] Memphis: Played 4 minutes - at Tulsa 2/2: a rebound in 4 minutes - UCF 1/26: Had 4 pts, 5 rebs, 2 bls and was 2-2 FT w/ 8:54 remaning to give SMU first lead of 2nd half - Led team in: steals (at Dayton 2)

HOME IS WHERE THE GAMES ARE: The Mustangs play a team-record 18 home games in 2007-08. The previous mark was 17 in 1997-98.

STATE RIVALS: The Mustangs play 22 games in Texas this year, including 18 home games as well as road games at UTSA, Rice, Houston, and UTEP. The Mustangs play 13 games against in-state foes, facing Paul Quinn, UT-San Antonio, TCU, Houston Baptist, Prairie View A&M, Texas State, and Stephen F Austin once each followed by home and away sets with Conference USA opponents Houston, Rice, and UTEP. The Mustangs are 6-3 against teams from Texas this season.

INCREASING ATTENDANCE: SMU has already surpassed its total home attendance from last season. Season Attendance Games Average 2006-07 29,406 16 1,838 2007-08 33,134 13 2,549

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE: SMU has five players that have played in international competition. Bamba Fall - 2007 Senegalese National Team (competed in Global Games and African Championships) Mouhammad Faye - 2007 Senegalese National Team (competed in African Championships) Also played on Senegalese U-18 and U-20 National Teams Alex Malone - 2007 Team USA (competed in Global Games) Robert Nyakundi - 2007 Team USA (competed in Global Games) Tomasz Kwiatkowski - Played for Poland's U-16 and U-18 National Teams while in high school

HONORS: Team Captains: Jon Killen & Derrick Roberts SMU Tip-Off Classic All-Tournament Team: Alex Malone (14.5 points, 5.0 rebs) SMU Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team: Bamba Fall (12.0 pts, 10-14 FG, 6.0 rebs, 2.5 blks) Derrick Roberts (14.0 pts, 3.0 rebs, 2.5 ast) Meyer Brothers' Academic Award: (Jim & Mark Meyer) Jon Killen 3.4 GPA: Management and Sociology (double major) - Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative - Team Co Captain - Omega Psi Phi (Nu Kappa) - National Pan-Hellenic Council at SMU, Vice President Most Improved SMU Team GPA - Men's Basketball (Based on difference in team GPA from Fall 06 to 07 and Spring 06 to Fall 07) Conference USA Player of the Week Jan. 28 - Jon Killen (21.5 pts, 6.0 ast, 4.5 reb, 1.0 stl, 50.0% FG (16-32), 41.7% 3FG (10-24))

COACHES OF THE YEAR: When June Jones was named head football coach at SMU, he and men's basketball coach Matt Doherty made SMU one of seven Football Bowl Subdivision universities with a national coach of the year in football and men's basketball. Jones in 1999 (CNN/Sports Illustrated, American Football Coach/Schutt Sports & The Sporting News), and Doherty in 2001 (Associated Press). - Iowa: Kirk Ferentz (FB) & Todd Lickliter (MBB) - Florida State: Bobby Bowden (FB) & Leonard Hamilton (MBB) - Kansas: Mark Mangino (FB) & Bill Self (MBB) - Maryland: Ralph Friedgen (FB) & Gary Williams (MBB) - SMU: June Jones (FB) & Matt Doherty (MBB) - Tennessee: Phil Fulmer (FB) & Bruce Pearl (MBB)

MUSTANG AND LEFTY: The SMU roster features four left-handers: Papa Dia, Bamba Fall, Ryan Harp, and Tomasz Kwiatkowski.

ROOKIES: The Mustangs started freshmen Papa Dia, Ryan Harp, and Mike Walker against Paul Quinn on Nov. 27. The Mustangs won the game 81-63. It was the first time SMU had three freshman starters since Eric Castro, Justin Isham, and Patrick Simpson started as freshmen at TCU on Dec. 18, 2001, a 74-62 loss. Castro Isham, and Simpson also started in the 82-64 win over Oral Roberts on Dec. 14, 2001. The last time SMU started four freshmen was a visit from Florida Atlantic on Nov. 29, 1998, when DeWayne Floyd, Damon Hancock, Mike Niemi, and Nigel Smith helped the the Mustangs to a 91-61 victory.

FINAL FOUR THROWBACKS: THe Mustangs made the 1956 NCAA Final Four, losing to Bill Russell's San Francisco squad in the national semifinal. SMU faces five other programs this season that have been to at least one Final Four. The Mustangs unveiled throwback jerseys that were replicas from the 1956 Final Four squad during the homegame against Tulsa on Jan. 19. It was part of SMU Basketball Slumni Weekend. Dayton (1967 runner-up) Colorado (1942 semifinal, 1955 third) Houston (1967 third, 1968 fourth, 1982 semifinal, 1983 runner-up, 1984 runner-up) Memphis (1973 runner-up, 1985 semifinal) UTEP (1966 champions)

NATIONAL TV EXPOSURE: The SMU Men's Basketball team has two games on CSTV in 2007-08 after having six nationally televised games during the 2006-07 regular season. Following are the Mustangs' nationally broadcast games under head coach Matt Doherty. 2007-08 Sat., F2, at Tulsa (CSTV) - L 72-60, Jon Killen 13 pts, 5 asts; Alex Malone 14 pts; Papa Dia 9 pts, 7 rebs Wed., M5, Memphis (CSTV) 2006-07 Thu., D21, at TCU (CSTV) - W 64-62 on Dez Willingham 3-pointer at buzzer Sat, J13, at Houston (CSTV) - L 82-67 as Bamba Fall has first career double-double (12 pts, 10 rebs) Sat., F3, at Memphis (ESPN) - L 88-52; Ofoegbu has team-high 17 pts, Memphis 15-25 3FG Wed., F7, Houston (CSTV) - L 64-49; Pearson leads with 13 points and 9 rebounds Wed., F28, Tulsa (CSTV) - L 67-60; Ofoegbu leads with 29 points, 7 rebounds Sat., M3, [6] Memphis (CSTV) - L 64-60; SR night Ofoegbu (21pts), Pearson (16pts,9reb), Rackauskas (14pts)

OFF THE COURT NEWS: Inside College Hoops with Matt Doherty SMU men's basketball coach Matt Doherty will have a one-hour radio show beginning Dec. 3. It will then air Dec. 17 and weekly from Jan. 14 through March 17. The show will Inside College Hoops with Matt Doherty is hosted by Rich Phillips, the voice of the Mustangs, and will be on KAAM 770 AM, the home of Mustang men's basketball. The Monday night event will be held at Ten Sports Grill in downtown Dallas beginning at 7 p.m. SMU to open Crum Basketball Center The Mustangs will open the Crum Basketball Center during the 2007-08 season. It is a $13-million, 43,000 square-foot practice facility that will be home for SMU men's and women's basketball with two full-size practice courts for each program with multiple goals, locker rooms and lounges, a fully-equipped training and rehabilitation room with in-ground hydrotherapy pools, a strength and conditioning room, an on-site laundry facility, coaches' offices and conference facilities for both programs, coaches' locker rooms and film editing rooms. It will have a direct connection to Moody Coliseum via tunnel. (more info on page 12 of the notes) Swishful Thinking for Nothing But Nets Head coach Matt Doherty, his wife Kelly have teamed with Rev. Paul Rasmussen and members of Cornerstone at Highland Park Methodist Church for Nothing But Nets. Nothing But Nets is a charity to help fight malaria in Africa. The NBA and Sports Illustrated are among the partners in the intiative. A ten dollar donation buys a young person a net to put over their bed so they won't get infected by a mosquito carrying Malaria. People can give through direct donations or pledge money for each three pointer SMU makes at Moody Coliseum during league play. Individuals can get involved please log onto to www.swishfulthinking.net Feb. 23 - SMU Will Enshrine Jon Koncak's No. 53 SMU will raise Koncak's jersey to the rafters of Moody Coliseum during a halftime ceremony on Feb. 23. He was selected to be honored by the SMU Hall of Fame Committee, which is comprised primarily of Lettermen's Club members. Koncak wore no. 53 during his basketball career from 1981-85. He is one of two consensus All-Americans from SMU men's basketball, earning the honor during the 1984-85 season. He led the Mustangs to two NCAA Tournaments in 1984 and 1985, advancing to the second round each year. Koncak led the team in scoring his final three years while compiling a 67-29 record in that span. The Mustangs spent the entire 1984-85 season in the Associated Press top-25, reaching as high as No. 2 at the end of January. He was a member of the gold-medal winning 1984 U.S. Olympic team. Koncak was a first-round selection of the Atlanta Hawks in the 1985 NBA draft and went on to a 12-year NBA career, spending the first 10 seasons with the Hawks. Koncak holds SMU career rankings of first in rebounds (1169), first in blocks (278), third in scoring (1784 points), and second in field-goal percentage (.559). Koncak is the second player to be so honored by SMU men's basketball, joining Jim Krebs. Krebs wore no. 32 from 1954-57 and was an All-American in 1956-57. Krebs helped lead the Mustangs to three straight Southwest Conference titles and the 1956 NCAA Final Four. Previous Honorees: Raymond Berry - football; Cash Birdwell - football; Eric Dickerson - football; Forrest Gregg - football; Lamar Hunt - football; Karlin Kennedy - w-basketball; Jim Krebs - m-basketball; Doak Walker - football Feb. 9 - SMU Men "Pony Up For The Cure" The SMU basketball teams are making efforts to raise awareness of breast cancer. On Feb. 14, the women's team will participate in the WBCA's "Think Pink" initiative when the Mustangs host Memphis at 7 p.m. The men's team will then host Rice for "Pony Up For The Cure" on Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. The "Think Pink" initiative was started last year by the WBCA to help raise awareness and show support as a community against breast cancer, the second leading cause of death for all women and the leading overall cause of death in women between the ages of 20-59. The Mustangs will show support by wearing "Pony Up for the Cure" pink t-shirts during warm-up. The SMU coaches, band and cheer and pom squads will also wear pink apparel. Ticket packages for the events are $20, which includes a ticket to both the men's and women's games and a pink "Pony Up for the Cure" t-shirt. Proceeds from the event ($5 from each package) and silent auction revenues will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation of Dallas County. Call Bethany Tiffin in the SMU ticket office at 214-768-2376. Jan 15 - Mouhammad Faye Added To Roster Head Coach Matt Doherty announced that Mouhammad Faye joined the SMU men's basketball team. Faye, a former student-athlete at Georgia Tech, has enrolled at SMU. Faye, a 6-9, 208-pound native of Dakar, Senegal, played alongside current Mustang junior Bamba Fall on Senegal's National Team at the FIBA African Games in the Summer of 2007. Faye averaged 12 points per game, scoring 22 in a win over South Africa and 20 versus Morocco. He also teamed with SMU freshman Papa Dia at the SEED Academy in Senegal. Fall and Dia are natives of St. Louis, Senegal. At Georgia Tech, Faye played in five games this year with highs of four points and five rebounds at Vanderbilt. He played in 30 games with eight starts as a redshirt freshman in 2006-07, contributing career-bests of 17 points and nine rebounds against Virginia Tech. Due to NCAA transfer rules, he will have to sit out one academic year and can become eligible when grades are posted at the end of the Fall 2008 semester. He can begin practicing immediately and will have one and a half seasons of eligibility remaining. Nov. 20 - Doherty Announces 2008-09 Signees SMU announced that four players have signed National Letters-of-Intent to play for the Mustangs beginning with the 2008-09 season. Three members of the class hail from California; Jarred DuBois is a guard from Westchester High School in Los Angeles, Justin Haynes is a wing from Palmdale High School in Palmdale, and Frank Otis is a forward from McClymonds High School in Oakland. Christopher Clarke is a forward from St. Mary's Preparatory in Orchard Lake, Michigan. (More info on page 7 of the notes) Nov. 1 - SMU Basketball To Embark On African Tour In 2008 The SMU men's basketball team will embark on a 15-day basketball trip to Africa from May 25 to June 8, 2008. The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will include a safari as well as tours of Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa, and Dakar, Senegal. The Mustangs in partnership with Adidas will perform coaching and skills clinics in each city. The Ponies will also play exhibition games at each site. The games include a matchup against the Senegalese national team. (more info on page 9 of the notes)