With less than a month left until its season-opener, SMU men’s basketball learned its projected finish in the 2024-25 ACC preseason poll Tuesday.
Entering their first campaign as ACC members, the Mustangs were projected to finish 13th in the conference. SMU was the highest-ranked newcomer in the 18-team poll, placing ahead of Cal (16th) and Stanford (17th).
Duke, the nation’s seventh-ranked team, was picked as the favorite to win the conference title with a total of 956 voting points and 42 first-place votes. Rival North Carolina wasn’t too far behind, being picked to finish second with 924 points and 11 first-place votes.
Led by new head coach Andy Enfield, SMU will look to make noise in the ACC with a retooled roster. Only five of the team’s players suited up for the Mustangs in 2023-24. No Mustangs were selected as preseason All-ACC first- or second-team members.
North Carolina’s R.J. Davis was selected as ACC preseason player of the year, earning 40 votes. Duke freshman Cooper Flagg earned 10 votes for the award and was heavily favored as the conference’s preseason rookie of the year (53 votes).
SMU will officially open its season against Tarleton State on Nov. 4 at Moody Coliseum. The Mustangs’ first ACC matchup will be against Virginia on Dec. 7 at home.
