Surging SMU intends to go full throttle vs. Miami

Field Level Media|published: Fri 17th January, 15:47 2025

NCAA Basketball: Georgia Tech at Southern Methodist

Jan 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; SMU Mustangs forward Matt Cross (33) in action during the game between the SMU Mustangs and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Moody Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Matt Cross will get an opportunity to face his former team when SMU takes on Miami in an ACC game on Saturday.

Cross, a 6-foot-7 senior forward, is expected to start for SMU (13-4, 4-2 ACC), bringing with him averages of 10.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. The Mustangs have won two straight games and nine of 11.

Miami (4-13, 0-6) has lost six consecutive games and 13 of its past 14. Miami has also lost 15 straight regular-season ACC games going back to last season.

"Losing stinks," Miami interim coach Bill Courtney said.

Cross, a Massachusetts native, played for four different high schools in four years. In college, Cross has played one year at Miami, one at Louisville, two at Massachusetts and is now in his first season with the Mustangs.

In 111 games, including 81 starts, Cross is averaging 10.4 points in his college career.

"Having fun to me means winning," Cross said. "People know me as a guy who goes 100-million miles per hour."

SMU's Boopie Miller has delivered a team-high 14.5 points and 5.8 assists, while Chuck Harris scored 12.4 points and B.J. Edwards has 10.4.

Miller and Harris will go up against a pair of Hurricanes freshmen in the backcourt, including 6-foot-5 Jalil Bethea and 6-4 Austin Swartz.

Bethea, a five-star recruit who was ranked by ESPN as the 10th-best senior prospect in the nation last year, is averaging 7.1 points with 1.1 assists and is shooting 32.7 percent on 3-pointers and 47.2 percent on 2-pointers.

Swartz, a four-star recruit and ESPN's No. 50 player in the nation, is averaging 6.1 points. He is shooting 31.7 percent on 3-pointers and 47.8 on 2-pointers.

Miami's only double-figure scorers are point guard Nijel Pack (13.9 points), wing Matthew Cleveland (12.8) and center Lynn Kidd (11.4).

Pack has missed seven consecutive games due to an ankle injury, while backup point guard Divine Ugochukwu has missed two straight games due to a left-hip injury.

That has added more stress on Miami's young guards.

"Austin is not a point guard, but he's been forced into that situation," Courtney said. "But we're not going to stop trying. Eventually, something is going to work."

--Field Level Media