SMU Returns To Top 25

DALLAS (SMU) – The SMU men’s basketball team is ranked No. 25 in the Associated Press Top 25. This is the fourth straight season the Mustangs have been ranked. SMU (20-4, 10-1 American Athletic Conference) has won 16 of its last 17 following last week’s wins versus East Carolina (86-46) and at Tulsa (76-53). Senior Sterling Brown was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week for his performance in the pair of victories.

In the last 17 games, SMU has held each opponent to 66 points or less. SMU has averaged 73.7 points in that span, while holding opponents to 55.9 per game (+17.8 scoring margin) and 37.9 percent from the field. For the season, SMU ranks third in the nation in scoring defense (58.6), 12th in field goal defense (38.8) and third in rebound margin (+11.0).

Brown averaged 21.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals as the Mustangs won both games last week. Brown was 14-of-24 shooting (58.3%), 5-11 from 3-point range and 9-9 at the free-throw line. The senior from Maywood, Ill., had a career-high 27 points (9-15 FG, 4-7 3FG, 5-5 FT) with five rebounds, in the win at Tulsa. For the season, he is averaging 12.0 points (12th AAC), 6.8 rebounds (13th AAC), 3.4 assists (12th AAC) and 1.6 steals (4th AAC), with an assist/turnover ratio of 1.8 (7th AAC). He is shooting 45.3 percent on threes (2nd AAC) and 76.5 percent on free throws (13th AAC).

This week, the Mustangs play at Temple on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT (ESPN2) and host No. 11/11 Cincinnati on Sunday at 3 p.m. (ESPN).

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