Mustangs Finally Find Killer Inside Themselves
DALLAS – There has only been one element that has held SMU back from being a Top 15 team and in full control of the AAC this season in basketball – a killer instinct.
Numerous times the Mustangs have jumped out to big leads only to appear to almost feel sorry for an opponent rather than continuing to attack and go for the kill. Against No. 11 Wisconsin, SMU went up 15-4. On the road at Arizona State, the Ponies led 63-50 with 11 minutes left. The Mustangs were up 30-15 in Memphis with the No. 10 Tigers on the ropes.
Yet, in all three games, SMU gave up what appeared to be sure wins as the swagger and focus fell aside, opening the door for close losses that fluttered away in the final few minutes. Even in a big road win over Florida State, the Mustangs had a disdain for putting opponents away as the Seminoles cut a 17-point lead to 10 in a single minute with 30 seconds left to play.
Killer instinct is something a team naturally tends to have and it appeared to be the key ingredient missing for Rob Lanier's bunch. That is until last Saturday against Tulsa.
For the first time all season, SMU jumped out to a big lead against a solid opponent and avoided a mental letdown. At one point, a three by Tulsa's Tyshawn Archie cut what had been a 13-point lead to seven, but instead of letting the lead fall into a back-and-forth struggle, the Mustangs shifted into the same gear that built the lead and never backed off.
By halftime, everyone short of the radio announcer got hot on both ends of the floor for the Mustangs as Tulsa fell behind, 52-33. Having learned a lesson from Memphis and a slugfest earlier in the week with Temple, Lanier's team had its teeth sharp as the Ponies came out and finished off a weakened opponent for once.
"I was really proud though because I did think there was some room there the last eight minutes or so to not play the right way," Lanier said. "And I never felt like that other than Jackson's little circus act here at the end. I was a little disappointed in that."
SMU sits a half game back in the standings behind Florida Atlantic and Charlotte. However, the Mustangs own the head-to-head over the 49ers as the only team able to handle their superior size.
FAU doesn't drop on the schedule until late February with plenty of opportunities to trip up along the way. The Mustangs have to face a salty North Texas team twice. The Mean Green were climbing into the NCAA Tournament picture until Charlotte held them to 44 points in a loss over the weekend.
There's also two rounds with Tulane, which just knocked off Memphis, and a rematch with the Tigers in Dallas. SMU actually faces all three teams for the last time this season in the three games leading up to a trip to Boca Raton for what Lanier can only hope will be a de facto regular season championship game.
"I'm just proud of the group you know," Lanier said. "We we preach some things about being connected and family and being a part of something bigger than yourself and you hope you're lucky enough from time to time as a coach to get a group to come together and we still have a long way to go. Well, you guys know that it's a long year, but but tonight was a good example of playing the game the right way."
PONY EXPRESS:
SLOW START BY TEMPLE MAY HAVE CAUSED MUSTANGS TO RELAX, ALLOW OWLS BACK IN GAME
SMU HAS EVOLVED INTO AAC TITLE CONTENDERS, NCAA TOURNAMENT THREAT
PONIES' FALL SPORTS PROGRAMS LAY CLAIM TO ONE FINAL AAC DISTINCTION, GARNER NATIONAL RECOGNITION
SMU SWITCHES OUT ONE ARKANSAS RAZORBACK FOR EVEN BIGGER TANK
