SMU coach Andy Enfield believes star forward B.J. Edwards' right ankle would have been ready by Friday if the Mustangs had found a way to advance out of the First Four at the NCAA Tournament.
Only SMU didn't, falling to Miami (Ohio) with the senior guard out of the lineup. The Mustangs had indicated Edwards might have been available for the tournament at large, which the NCAA selection committee indicated played a factor in giving SMU an at-large berth in the 68-team field.
Enfield brushed off the suggestion that the fact Edwards didn't play could hurt how the selection committee views the Mustangs in the future.
“We deserved to be in the NCAA Tournament if you look at all our metrics and our wins,” Enfield said. “We all thought that B.J. would be back.”
Enfield described Edwards' injury as “serious." Edwards hadn't played since tweaking the ankle against California on Feb. 25. Enfield credited Edwards for making every effort to be available by Wednesday. Instead, Edwards — who averaged 12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists — was “a day short” of being cleared by SMU's medical staff.
“It was heartbreaking when he said, ‘I’m just not quite (there),'” Enfield said. “We thought he’d be right there. But it’s a very heartbreaking thing to have someone that wants to be out there and just can’t do it. It didn’t feel comfortable quite yet.”
The Mustangs (20-14) made the tournament despite an 8-10 mark in the ACC. Their resume did include wins over conference powers North Carolina and Louisville, though they also lost to struggling Syracuse.
“As far as the committee, what they’re — we deserved to be in the NCAA Tournament, bottom line,” Enfield said. “That’s pretty to the point right there.”
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
SMU head coach Andy Enfield watches his team play against Louisville during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
NEW YORK (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points and 15 rebounds, and the New York Knicks outlasted the Brooklyn Nets 93-92 on Friday night for their fourth consecutive victory.
Jalen Brunson scored 17 points and OG Anunoby finished with 16 for the Knicks, who trailed by 13 points in the first half, then blew a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Ben Saraf had a chance to win it for the Nets at the buzzer but missed a 45-footer.
The Knicks beat the Nets for the 14th straight time, the longest winning streak for either team in the local rivalry. The Nets’ last victory over the Knicks was on Jan. 28, 2023, shortly before trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
The final meeting this season had moments where it appeared a real rivalry, even if it has been a one-sided one.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson and Brooklyn's Ziaire Williams were assessed technical fouls after several Nets players confronted Robinson, who stood over Nolan Traore after the Nets guard had a hard fall while fouling Robinson as he tried to block his shot with over three minutes left in the first half.
Anunoby and Nic Claxton each received technical fouls after Anunoby shoved Claxton twice moments after he turned the ball over late in the third quarter.
Josh Minott scored 22 points and Williams added 17 for the Nets, who have lost six straight games.
New York scored a season-low 14 points in the first quarter and trailed 50-44 at the break before turning it around and outscoring the Nets 31-15 in the third quarter to take a 75-65 lead heading into the fourth.
Towns’ layup increased the lead to 84-70 with 9:34 remaining before Brooklyn went on a 17-0 run to take a 87-84 lead with 3:33 remaining in regulation.
Towns and Brunson then combined for eight points to pull the Knicks ahead 92-87 with 1:04 left to play.
Traore’s 3-pointer pulled the Nets within one and Towns then missed two free throws before Saraf’s shot came up short.
Knicks: Host the Washington Wizards on Sunday.
Nets: Visit the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton, left, and Brooklyn Nets guard Ochai Agbaji (30) reach for the ball against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, second from left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, March 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton, left, and teammate Danny Wolf, right, both go for the rebound during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Friday, March 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets, Friday, March 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton, left, and teammate Danny Wolf, right, both go for the rebound during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Friday, March 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby (8) dunks over Brooklyn Nets forward Chaney Johnson, bottom, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, March 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
