UNIVERSITY PARK - A hard-fought come-from behind victory over the
University of Maryland, Baltimore County on the season's opening night proved to
be a "perfect, perfect, perfect" experience for the SMU Mustangs men's basketball
team.
So contended Mustangs coach Tim Jankovich, not a known masochist, in the
wake of a 78-67 victory Friday that neither Jankovich nor his players anticipated
would be so taxing.
Yes, UMBC won 21 games last season in the America East Conference. Yes, they are an experienced team. But SMU, a preseason top 25 in the nation selection, is trying to establish itself as an elite program.