SMU Men's Basketball: Previewing the 2019-20 Mustangs

SMU coach Tim Jankovich has been grateful to see a full roster of players throughout the basketball offseason. Sixteen players look a lot better than 10 or 12 from previous years, whether the reason involves injury or the result of NCAA sanctions that haunted the program the last three seasons.

The dark cloud that once hovered over SMU is no longer here. The 2019-20 season will tip off as one where SMU starts fresh. It'll be a season without sanctions, as well as one where the team is injury-free. It doesn't hurt that this year's SMU roster is hungry to make a noticeable dent in the American Athletic Conference -- despite playing without one senior.

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"I feel good about our team," Jankovich said. "I think we have made a lot of progress and have a lot of room for progress but I am very optimistic."

SMU will open Tuesday at home against Jacksonville State. The Mustangs will look to erase last season's 15-17 record and will look for their eighth consecutive season-opening victory.

Jankovich will field a team with seven juniors, six sophomores and three freshmen. Junior forwards Ethan Chargois and Isiaha Mike return as starters for the program, but the Mustangs also have eight newcomers -- five transfers and three true freshmen -- who will need to jell quickly.

It's something that Chargois said shouldn't be a problem, if practices are any indication of the expectations.

"It's a special group. They all want to be great," Chargois said. "You can see it in their eyes. Every little detail, they're just trying to make it perfect. That's all you can ask of young dudes coming in."

"The talent that's in the gym," Jankovich added, "I believe is going to win a lot of games. That's why I feel really good."

Jankovich isn't worried about not having a senior on this year's roster. If anything, it's a bonus for the future. He'll have an extra year to instill his coaching philosophy.

Look for this year's team to focus on moving the ball to work for the best shot on offense. The Mustangs also want to play better perimeter defense.

Jankovich spoke about having a team he feels is very unselfish. Having a selfless roster loaded with depth could make for an intriguing season that could sneak up on opponents a lot sooner than expected.

Players like forwards Feron Hunt and Everett Ray will be called upon to provide immediate results. Hunt had a solid freshman campaign last season. Ray is healthy after missing last season with a foot injury.

SMU hopes to get word from the NCAA regarding the eligibility status of transfer guards Kendric Davis (TCU) and Darius McNeill (Cal). As of early Monday morning, SMU has yet to hear one way or the other regarding the two guards -- who could be major contributors early as players with college basketball experience.

All eyes early in the season could be on guard Tyson Jolly, a junior college All-American at Trinity Valley Community College who started his college career at Baylor. Guard Emmanuel Bandoumel is another JUCO transfer capable of filling the stat sheets.

Immediate cohesion will be the biggest question early for SMU. To Jankovich, that ultimately will be one of the team's strongest assets, but he understands that there is a learning curve of sorts.

"From the start to where we are now, I can feel they're starting to want to play together, as opposed to wanting to always get the ball," Jankovich said. "We've been very good at sharing the ball; definitely, our best teams were outstanding at that. Even last year, we were pretty good in that area, and I think we have a chance to be outstanding at it again.

"The good news is we've got some very unselfish players. In this day and age, that's not always the case. All the players that come to a high level of Division I have been outstanding players in their own right. So far, that's one thing I'm very pleased with."

The Mustangs are looking to make some immediate noise in American Athletic Conference play this season. SMU competes in a very competitive conference that also includes Memphis, Houston, Cincinnati and Wichita State.

The Mustangs were picked to finish eighth in the AAC. Jankovich simply wants to play out the season and not make any predictions.

"I would hate the preseason poll if they were great at it," Jankovich said. "My experience is they've never been all that accurate."

THE HEAD COACH

Tim Jankovich begins his fourth season as the head coach of the Mustangs. He is 71-38 as SMU's head coach. Jankovich has been coaching at SMU since 2013, and he was named the AAC Coach of the Year in 2017 after leading the Mustangs to a 30-5 record.

THE ASSISTANT COACHES

KT Turner is the associate head coach for SMU. He's starting his seventh season at SMU and his third as the associate head coach. Jay Duncan is in his eighth season at SMU and his fourth year as an assistant coach. He once was an assistant under Jay Wright at Villanova. Yaphett King is the newest coaching addition. He was hired in September after spending three seasons at Louisiana Tech.

RETURNING STARTERS

Jr. F Ethan Chargois: Returning top scorer averaged 12.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg last season

Jr. F Isiaha Mike: Averaged 11.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg; ranked 8th in AAC in blocks

RETURNING PLAYERS

So. F Feron Hunt: Started eight games as a freshman; averaged 7.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg

So. F Everett Ray: Looking for a breakout season after being sidelined with foot injury

Jr. G William Douglas: Perimeter wing who action in 25 of SMU's 32 games last season

So. G CJ White: Made 10 3-pointers while playing in 24 games as a freshman

So. F Jahmar Young Jr.: Athletic big who played in 22 games and recorded eight blocks

Jr. G Grant Youngkin: Rice transfer who sat out last season per NCAA rule

NEWCOMERS - TRANSFERS

So. G Kendric Davis: Started two games at TCU; averaged 6.3 ppg, 2.0 apg

Jr. G Darius McNeill: Averaged 11 ppg, shot 35% from 3-point line at Cal

So. G Emmanuel Bandoumel: Averaged 13.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg, shot 53% at Hill College

Jr. F Isiah Jasey: Texas A&M transfer brings size, athleticism and tons of energy

Jr. G Tyson Jolly: Former Baylor guard was a JUCO-All American at Trinity Valley CC

NEWCOMERS - FRESHMEN

Fr. G Charles Smith IV: Long-distance threat named a four-star recruit by ESPN

Fr. G Darius McBride: Three-star prospect averaged 14 ppg, 6.0 apg, 5.0 apg

Fr. G Alex Tabor Jr.: Set multiple 3-point records at Charlotte Country Day