Gaining From A Loss?

SMU Falls, 80-76, But Doherty Likes Mustangs' 'Toughness'

CUSA-fans.com has a new staff of team correspondents this year to help bring you, the fan, more detailed Conference USA sports coverage. Today, our SMU Correspondent Rick Atkinson brings you his weekly SMU basketball update.

DALLAS – SMU lost to shorter, quicker, hot-shooting North Carolina A&T at home Saturday, but unlike Thursday at OU, head coach Matt Doherty wasn’t ready to blow. This night, he was looking for something - but it wasn’t necessarily a win.

He said he found it.

“I told the team, before the game, I really don’t care about the outcome,” Doherty said. “I just care that we battle. And I thought we did, especially in the second half.”

Guard Jon Killen said he was also encouraged.

“We played a lot better than we did in the Oklahoma game,” he said. “It’s hard for other people on the outside to look in and see that, because they look at a team like North Carolina A&T and think that we should dominate them.”

Coming in, the Aggies were 3-9, but losses included fairly close run-ins at Arizona State, New Mexico and Dayton.

“I knew … they were due for a win,” Doherty said. “I was hoping it wasn’t going to be against us.”

‘Downtown’ Steven Rush

The Aggies’ Steven Rush pumped in 6 of 9 from 3-point range, some from four feet beyond the arc.

“Truly, he may be the best shooter in the country,” said NCA&T head coach Jerry Eaves.

On the night, the Aggies hit 12 of 22 3s, or 54.5 percent. Nicholas Wilson added 16 points in 19 minutes.

SMU shot 38-percent overall and 26.7-percent from 3-point range.

For SMU, Brian Epps had a career-high 19 points and freshman Cameron Spencer pulled down 10 rebounds. Ike Ofoegbu scored 15, including 10 of 12 from the charity stripe.

Down the stretch, whenever SMU threatened a rally, the Aggies hit a three or made a driving layup.

The game was tied, 66-66, with 3:39 to play, but NCA&T hit 12 free throws, as SMU missed 12 of 15 field goal attempts, for the final margin.

The Aggies led 36-28 at the half, after trailing by 10 points.

SMU’s big men weren’t big factors.

“I’m disappointed in Bamba and disappointed in Donatas, and I shared that with them,” Doherty said.

In a bit of a shakeup, Doherty started Spencer, Epps and little-used junior Paulius Ritter. Regular starters Devon Pearson and Derrick Roberts were injured, but Doherty said Spencer, Epps and Ritter earned the starts for their performance in Friday’s post-OU “toughness drills.”

Roberts turned an ankle in shootaround, but played 30 minutes. Doherty said Pearson suffered a hyper-extended knee at OU and his status is uncertain. He said X-rays and an MRI were negative.

Rough Practice

Friday, SMU practiced toughness, including rough, blocking-out and loose-ball drills – with no rules.

Said Epps, “That practice … [Doherty] just wanted to get us going – [to] not being afraid to get in there and get hit in the face, or hit somebody else in the face maybe.”

“We got a lot out of it,” Killen said. “Luckily, no one got hurt and we became a better team because of it. Everyone bought into it.”

Both said they ran no more than usual and tired legs were not a factor in the loss. “We fought and it just didn’t bounce our way tonight,” Epps said.

When asked if Friday’s practice had backfired, Doherty said no, emphasizing Pearson’s and Roberts’ injuries didn’t occur then. But, freshman Thomas Andrews did break his nose and Spencer cut his chin, he said.

It Happens

Doherty said unexpected losses are inevitable, recalling a Tar Heel factoid.

“ North Carolina won the national championship the year they lost to Santa Clara in the first game,” he said. “ Santa Clara didn’t have a very good team that year. So, you’re gonna lose some games.”

Doherty on Spencer: “He looked comfortable out there. He looked like he belonged. I don’t think you would say, ‘What’s he doing out there?’”

Ritter? Doherty likes his toughness. “That’s why he’s out there,” he said. “I’m sure [SMU football head coach Phil Bennett] would like to see Paulius in a football uniform.”

“I didn’t sleep real well the last couple of days,” Doherty said. “I’ve been a little down, because we were in a fight [at OU] and didn’t throw a punch. We threw some punches today and I was very encouraged by that.”

Next game: Thursday, January 4 @ home vs. Texas-Pan American, 7 p.m.

Two after that: Saturday, January 6 @ home vs. Brown University, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, January 10 @ home vs. Southern Miss., 7 p.m.

Ronnie sez: “Well, I was disappointed that they lost, but I think after they started out 9-1, we probably had some unrealistic expectations for this team. I mean, before season started, to be 9-3 right now, most Mustang fans would have taken that. It kind of makes you really understand that this team has still got a ways to go.”

(Ronnie Perry has followed SMU hoops since 1957.)

Did you know?

*Doherty remains one shy of 100 career coaching wins.

*The Mustangs have Sunday off. The team planned to meet for church and later have lunch at Doherty’s house.

*Doherty predicted NCA&T will be in the NCAA tournament.

*This was SMU’s first home loss of the season.