Doesn’t it feel like we’ve all been waiting for that breakthrough season from SMU and head coach Larry Brown, the one where they make a deep run into the NCAA Tournament and put themselves in the conversation with Gonzaga and Wichita State as a top “mid-major” destination?
Well, thanks to a controversial call against UCLA in the first round of last year’s NCAA Tournament, we’re still waiting.
Key Losses: Yanick Moreira (graduation), Ryan Manuel (graduation)
Potential Losses: Keith Frazier (academics)
Key Returners: Nic Moore, Ben Moore, Markus Kennedy
Key Newcomers: Shake Milton (four-star, point guard), Sedrick Barefield (three-star, point guard), Jerry Foster (three-star, shooting guard)
Breakdown: Larry Brown returns the core of a team that won 27 games and an American Athletic Conference championship last season, but no one is more important than point guard Nic Moore. Moore is the straw that stirs SMU’s drink, constantly putting himself and teammates in positions to make big time plays. His progression as a shooter from the outside was particularly important for the Mustangs, as it further opened up driving and passing lanes for their offense. Now, what he needs is a wing man, like Frazier. If Frazier is eligible, he’s a high level scorer from the outside, as well as off the bounce. He gives SMU a dimension that makes them much more lethal offensively. If his academics don’t come along, don’t be surprised if SMU pairs Shake Milton or Jerry Foster alongside Moore to make their backcourt woes disappear. In the frontcourt, SMU has a chance to be loaded. Ben Moore and Markus Kennedy should give the rest of the AAC absolute fits with their athleticism and strength on both ends. Offensively, they could both stand to add a bit more back-to-the-basket game, but their real effect is felt on defense, where they protect the paint absolutely.
