For transfer guard Darius McNeill, the wait has been worth it

A content-yet-humble Darius McNeill spoke after SMU's 79-71 road win at Temple Wednesday afternoon. Statistically, it was his best game wearing an SMU uniform -- 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting, with three 3- pointers made and four rebounds, all defensive.

It was the performance many SMU fans had been waiting for, a performance they knew McNeill had in him. This season, however, has been one that's truly tested the patience of the 6-3 junior transfer who once was a standout Pac-12 guard at Cal.

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When McNeill stepped on the court for SMU on Nov. 30, it was his first action since March 13, 2019. Do the math: That's a year, eight months and 11 days since the last time he played an organized basketball game.

Fast forward to today, and McNeill is back in his comfort zone. He's emerged into a major contributor for an SMU team that has potential to make noise not only in the American Athletic Conference but also in the NCAA Tournament this spring.

"I just know who I am," McNeill said, "and I trust my work."

When asked about Wednesday's performance, McNeill was reminded of a time where the old phrase "two steps forward, three steps back" was something of a reality for him. The question took him to a time where basketball temporarily was taken away.

In April of 2019, McNeill announced that he would transfer from Cal to SMU to be closer to his mother, who was dealing with health issues. Even with that known, the NCAA chose not to grant his waiver.

In addition to worrying about his mother, McNeill was forced to sit out a season that could have been a helpful diversion to real life.

"It was kind of bad," McNeill said. "I wasn't in a good place."

"I was in his shoes once upon a time," added SMU coach Tim Jankovich, a former Washington State guard who transferred to Kansas State in the late 1970s and had to sit out a year. "I remember it's very difficult after you haven't played for that long. Not only that, he's playing in a different environment because of COVID."

McNeill's wait through the 2019-20 season included post-game appearances on the Moody Coliseum floor after fans left the arena. He would always be spotted putting up shots once the games were over. Even though he wasn't contributing in live action, he made sure he remained ready for when his number was called.

Nov. 25 was supposed to be McNeill's return to college basketball. SMU opened the regular season at home against Sam Houston State that day, and there was excitement in the air for his much-anticipated debut.

That debut, however, was delayed, as McNeill suffered an injury to his left hand -- his shooting hand. It forced him to miss a week and a half of practice, as well as the season opener.

McNeill finally saw his moment Nov. 30 against Texas A&M-Corpus-Christi. He entered the game early off the bench, and he finished with five points and five rebounds in 24 minutes of play.

Entering the 2021 calendar year, McNeill now is averaging 10.4 points and 3.4 rebounds for the Mustangs. He's shooting 49% from the field, as well as 45% from the 3-point line.

"Darius is a guy who can knock down shots. He can create for others, and at the same time, he's a great defender," guard Emmanuel Bandoumel said of McNeill. "On the ball, he'll do a lot of things. He'll get deflections and steals, and he can guard the ball. On both sides, he's a great addition for us."

After his performance against Temple, McNeill now is one of five SMU players averaging double figures in scoring. He's inching toward his 11.4 points-per-game career average in two seasons at Cal, and as the first guard off the bench, he's given SMU welcomed depth in a highly competitive AAC.

"He's very conscientious, very team-oriented," Jankovich said of McNeill. "I think part of it, he hasn't played in [many] games where I'm the coach. He's kind of finding his way and his comfort zone, and I think he's realizing we have a lot of confidence in him.

"Of course, the better a guy plays, the more confidence he gets. He's certainly earned confidence in the way he's playing."

McNeill isn't concerned about whether he's a starter or comes off the bench for the Mustangs. He's averaging better than 25 minutes on what's been a consistent nine-man rotation this season.

And in the time allotted played, he's made those minutes count with productivity on both ends of the court. Along with his offensive play, he's one of SMU's better rebounding guards and defenders.

"I'm just staying aggressive," McNeill said, "and everything is falling in line."

SMU is 6-0 on the year, 2-0 in AAC play, and preparing for a tough stretch that includes No. 5 Houston on Sunday, a dangerous Cincinnati team on Thursday and a rematch with Temple on Jan. 10. From there, the Mustangs face Memphis on the road and Wichita State at home.

SMU will need McNeill's play throughout the upcoming AAC schedule. He and his teammates are just glad that he's on the court.

Happily contributing.

"I'm pretty sure we'll keep hearing from him for the entire season," Bandoumel said. "He'll have some big games."

"I've been in the Pac-12, so I've seen it all," McNeill added. "Whether it's coming off the bench or being a starter, I want to just play my game."

SMU (6-0, 2-0 AAC) vs. No. 5 Houston (7-1, 2-1)

6 p.m. CT Sunday

Moody Coliseum