SMU basketball will boast one of the best backcourts in the country, but will an inexperienced bench be able to fill in when it matters?
The tradition continues! It’s another year of our countdown of the top 100 preseason teams in college basketball until the start of the season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: SMU basketball.
They’re back! Boopie Miller and BJ Edwards return as one of the top guard duos in the ACC, and really, the nation. Defensively, they get after it, combining for 4.0 steals per game last season. If you play SMU, be prepared to lose your lunch, because they’re going to steal it, one way or another. Offensively, Miller and Edwards are playmakers and reliable scorers. They make this engine run, and if you’re Andy Enfield, I don’t know if you’d want any other two guards out there.
While the focus is undoubtedly on those two, you can’t even begin to forget about Simet Yigitoglu. The 7-2 sophomore averaged 10 points and over 6 boards per game in his first year in college basketball. Expectations are clearly through the roof on how much more dominant he can be with one year under his belt.
Rounding out the starting five are former Wichita State and Saint Peter’s forward Corey Washington and stretch four Sam Walters. Walters figures to replace Matt Cross as a deep range threat at the four-spot. But where Walters may not be the best rebounder, Washington fits in. The 6-6 swingman averaged over seven rebounds per game with the Shockers. He adds a certain toughness to this team.
The biggest and most important question is whether or not the bench is deep enough. Sixth-man Jaron Pierre Jr. was the Conference USA Player of the Year last season and should be a scoring sparkplug in relief. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if he plays a lot of time alongside Miller and Edwards on the court, because guarding that would be a challenge for any team that faces SMU.
But after Pierre, it’s a roster filled with true freshmen and redshirt freshmen. Sure, there are two top-50 guys – big man Jaden Toombs and forward Billy White III. Nigel Walls is also ranked as a top-end four-star recruit. And you can’t forget about Jermaine O’Neal Jr., starting a new legacy for his father.
It’s a seasoned group in the starting five plus Pierre, but after that, the freshmen will NEED to grow up quickly for SMU to reach its full potential. I actually do believe it’s an improved group – the Mustangs didn’t have an overwhelmingly great bench last season, especially in the frontcourt. Even though it’s made up of newcomers to college basketball, the potential seems higher. But that potential will need to be tapped from day one if SMU wants to live up to and exceed the hype.
And I’m going to make my first very bold prediction of the year. SMU has dangerous NCAA Tournament second-weekend potential. I’ll go as far as to say that they could reach the Elite 8 if all of the pieces work in the puzzle coach Enfield has in mind.
Head coach:Â Andy Enfield (2nd season at SMU, 15th season overall)
2024-25 record:Â 24-11 (13-7)
2025 postseason finish:Â Lost to Oklahoma State (85-83) in second round of NIT
Notable departures:Â
- Chuck Harris (12.9 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 41.5 3P%)
- Matt Cross (11.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.2 SPG, 38.2 3P%)
- Kario Oquendo (11.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.0 APG, 42.3 3P%)
- Yohan Traore (6.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 0.4 APG, 50.4 FG%)
- Keon Ambrose-Hylton (4.0 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 0.5 APG, 56.4 FG%)
- Jerrell Colbert (2.5 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 0.3 APG, 63.6 FG%)
Notable non-conference games:Â
- vs. Butler (Nov. 15)
- at Mississippi State (Nov. 28)
- at Vanderbilt (Dec. 3)
- vs. Texas A&M (Dec. 7) – Arlington, TX
- at LSU (Dec. 13) – New Orleans, LA
Projected Rotation
PG: Boopie Miller (6-0, 175, Rs.-Sr.)
2024-25 stats: 13.2 PPG, 5.5 APG, 2.9 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 34.1 3P%
SG: BJ Edwards (6-3, 200, Sr.)
2024-25 stats: 9.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.7 APG, 2.4 SPG, 34.1 3P%
SF: Corey Washington (6-6, 190, Sr.)
2024-25 stats: 13.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 0.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 34.7 3P% (Wichita State)
PF: Sam Walters (6-9, 230, Jr.)
2024-25 stats: 5.0 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 0.6 APG, 36.6 3P% (Michigan)
C: Samet Yigitoglu (7-2, 270, So.)
2024-25 stats: 10.0 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.0 BPG, 53.5 FG%
6: Jaron Pierre Jr. (6-5, 210, Gr.-Sr.)
2024-25 stats: 21.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.8 APG, 38.2 3P% (Jacksonville State)
7: Jaden Toombs (6-10, 230, Fr.)
247Sports Composite #41-ranked recruit
8: Billy White III (6-8, 195, Fr.)
247Sports Composite #49-ranked recruit
9: Nigel Walls (6-10, 200, Fr.)
247Sports Composite #69-ranked recruit
10: Jermaine O’Neal Jr. (6-5, 185, Fr.)
247Sports Composite #105-ranked recruit
11: BJ Davis-Ray (6-6, 195, Fr.)
247Sports Composite #158-ranked recruit
12: Chance Puryear (6-7, 210, Rs.-Fr.)
247Sports Composite #261-ranked recruit (2024)
13: Mitchell Holmes (6-10, 230, Rs.-Fr.)
247Sports Composite #148-ranked recruit (2024)
SMU basketball team MVP: Boopie Miller
Boopie Miller is just why we love college basketball.
He isn’t just a star for SMU, but he’s got a household name and a game that you have to smile at when watching him. Miller takes no plays off, creates energy out of nothing, and may take some “questionable” shots, but since they usually go in, I guess they really aren’t too questionable after all!
He’s one of the best guards in the ACC for a reason – Miller is fearless and makes defenders pay. But the fact that he does all that while being a true two-way guy is what makes him a coach’s dream. Sure, Miller’s offensive game is fun, but he prides himself on playing both ends at a high level. Will it require some rest? Sure – he’s not a 35 MPG type of guy. But a quick break is totally worth it when he’s always out there giving it his all.
SMU basketball make-or-break player: Samet Yigitoglu
I usually pick a guy further down the roster, but simply put, if Yigitoglu can turn into the dominant center his potential suggests, SMU could legitimately win the ACC this season.
As a freshman, he jumped onto the scene, scoring in double-digits in seven of his first nine games, including a 7-for-8, 16-point outing in a win against Virginia.
As the season wore on, Yigitoglu continued to be a scoring and rebounding force – 20 points and 7 rebounds against NC State, 17 and 10 against Pittsburgh, and earlier in the season, a 13-rebound game against Duke.
Unfortunately, he closed the season with his worst stretch, failing to score 10 points in five of the last seven games. But that could just be the length of the Turkish big man’s first college basketball season. I wouldn’t put too much stock in it.
I would buy stock in Yigitoglu NOW if you want to sound smart later in the year. I’m in no means saying he’ll average a 20-point double-double, but after a promising freshman campaign, 15/8 seems more than reasonable. And alongside SMU’s backcourt, that’s a true “big three.”
Key analytic: Steals per game
I don’t have to go deep into the bag for this one – SMU will create HAVOC this season.
You already know about what Miller and Edwards can do – averaging four steals per game between the two of them last season. And speaking about last season, the Mustangs averaged 8.1 SPG, 57th in the country.
While they lost some defensive talent, they bring back 4.7 SPG between the starting backcourt and Yigitoglu. And then, you add in Washington, who averaged a steal per game last year, but has the energy to up the ante this season.
I expect SMU to apply a lot of defensive pressure and make teams pay for careless basketball. The offense is on pace to be incredible this season, but if you forget about their defense, you’re in trouble.
SMU basketball 2025-26 projections
Projected conference finish: 6th in the ACC
Projected postseason ceiling:Â NCAA Tournament Elite 8