SMU brings loaded backcourt to Tarleton State opener

Andy Enfield will lean on a veteran backcourt that should rank among the nation's best as he begins his second season at SMU.

Enfield will lead the Mustangs into a season-opening encounter against defensive-minded Tarleton State on Monday in Dallas.

The Mustangs (24-11, 13-7 ACC) bring back guards Boopie Miller and B.J. Edwards. The former is a preseason second team all-ACC pick who averaged 13.2 points, 5.5 assists and 1.6 steals per game, while the latter garnered ACC All-Defensive Team honors while also averaging 9.9 points and 3.7 assists.

"Boogie and B.J. have been playing extremely well," Enfield told the team's website. "We'll rely on those guys for leadership and consistency because, as you know, when half your team is freshmen, freshmen are a little inconsistent at times. Our senior guards have to carry us."

SMU added five true freshmen to its roster along with two redshirt freshmen. Three transfers, led by 6-foot-5 senior guard Jaron Pierre Jr. from Jacksonville State and 6-9 forward Sam Walters from Michigan, also joined the squad.

Pierre makes SMU's backcourt even more dynamic after averaging 21.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists last season. The nation's No. 4 scorer last year produced a team-high 22 points, including 3 of 6 on 3-point attempts, in the Mustangs' 86-71 exhibition victory over Oklahoma State on Oct. 25.

Miller finished with 20 points and eight assists and was 3-for-4 behind the arc.

Tarleton State, coming off an injury-plagued 12-20 season and sixth-place finish in the WAC, ranked second in the nation in forcing turnovers (16.66 per game) and 11th in steals (9.4). The Texans welcome 12 newcomers to the program, including seven transfers.

"This should be our best team that we've had at Tarleton State," said head coach Billy Gillispie, who has forged a 78-74 record over five seasons with the program based in Stephenville, Texas.

"You never know about injuries. Hopefully what happened last year doesn't happen again."

The Texans were down to five healthy scholarship players at times last season.

Chris Mpaka, a senior forward who ranked third in the WAC in blocks (51) and 13th in rebounds (5.3 rpg), is the team's top returnee.

He has been joined by a pair of highly touted transfer guards in Cam McDowell, who averaged 27.3 ppg at Northwest Oklahoma State, and junior Dior Johnson, who originally signed with Pittsburgh and was ranked No. 35 in ESPN's Top 100 as a prep. He averaged 2.9 points in limited minutes for UCF last year.

--Field Level Media