How SMU's strength and conditioning program has helped players like freshman Ethan Chargois

UNIVERSITY PARK -- When Ethan Chargois arrived at SMU in June, he'd never done much in the way of weight lifting. He'd messed around doing some bench pressing with friends, but his high school simply didn't emphasize that as part of its basketball program.

So when he got to Dallas and started SMU's strength and conditioning program, it was a bit of a shock to his system.

"The volume and the intensity of it is just turned up to another level," Chargois shared. "It was tough when I got here in the summer."

Those two months of summer workouts paid quick dividends for the freshman. He lost 25 pounds and dropped a pant size or two, requiring some new clothes. His maximum bench press went up from…