Published Mar 14, 2021
SMU selected to play in NIT, will face Boise State in 1st round
circle avatar
Damon Sayles  •  TheHillTopics
Managing Editor
Twitter
@DamonSayles

The Mustangs will play postseason basketball this week ... but will they be at full strength?

Advertisement

SMU didn't win the AAC Tournament but was one of two teams from the conference selected to compete in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), which will tip off Wednesday and run through March 28 in Frisco and Denton.

SMU (11-5) is a No. 3 seed in its draw of the 16-team tournament and will face No. 2 seed Boise State (18-8) in a Thursday matchup at Comerica Center in Frisco. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m.

The Mustangs will join Memphis as an AAC representative. Memphis is ranked a No. 1 seed and will face No. 4 seed Dayton on Saturday at UNT Coliseum in Denton. SMU and Memphis could meet up in the tournament quarterfinals on March 25.

The semifinals will take place March 27 at Comerica Center. The championship game is scheduled for 11 a.m. March 28 at Comerica Center, with the third-place game set following the championship game at 2 p.m.

(Photo by Courtesy: NCAA.com)

SMU is hoping to have the services of a few players it didn't have during the AAC Tournament. Forwards Yor Anei and Jahmar Young Jr. both didn't play in the 74-71 loss to Cincinnati on Friday.

The Mustangs, however, are hoping to hear positive news about one of its top players, but the team will know more later this week. Forward Feron Hunt went down with an ankle injury against Cincinnati and, per sources, is questionable for the NIT as of Sunday.

In Friday's loss to Cincinnati, Kendric Davis finished with a career-high 35 points. The unanimous first-team All-AAC selection now leads the conference in scoring and assists, averaging 18.8 points and 7.4 assists per contest. He also is the only AAC player with a 3.0 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Boise State has lost four in a row, the latest an 89-82 setback to Nevada in the Mountain West Tournament quarterfinal round on Thursday. The Broncos have three players averaging double figures in scoring and are led by Houston- product Derrick Alston Jr., who is averaging 17.4 points per game.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Like us on Facebook!

Follow us on Twitter!

Follow us on Instagram!