25. SMU (12-2)
It’s early January and it’s too early to tell just exactly what SMU can be this season. They did largely good work in nonconference play, with notable wins over Butler, Mississippi State, and Texas A&M, but this team was also far from perfect. The Mustangs were plagued by defense and shooting woes that led to a few losses back in December, but Andy Enfield believes he has the talent to make a major statement in the ACC.
Back on Sunday, SMU hit their high watermark for the season in a 110-63 win over Cal State Fullerton. Both B. J. Edwards and Jermaine O’Neal Jr. scored 21 points, but Edwards’ triple-double was a historic effort against the Titans. The first real statement was made on Saturday, as the Mustangs truly delivered in a 97-83 win over North Carolina. SMU took down their ranked conference foe, getting 27 points and 12 assists from Boopie Miller and a 23-point performance from Corey Washington.
What was simply the best offensive week of the season for SMU featured contributions from the entire starting lineup. When this team plays like this, they can win these marquee games in the ACC and can be a team that people are excited to see in January, February, and even March. There’s a lot of basketball left and still some defensive issues to fix, but the real tests begin next week with road games at Clemson and Duke.