Did SMU Mislead The NCAA? B.J. Edwards Not Playing Against Miami (OH) Raises Ethics Concerns
SMU’s late update on BJ Edwards’ return may have helped push the Mustangs into the NCAA Tournament over Oklahoma, raising questions about the selection process.
In the final hours before the NCAA selection committee announced bids for the ongoing tournament, the SMU Mustangs might have pulled a fast one while sitting on the bubble.
The conversation surrounding this basketball team actually getting into the postseason mostly centered around the health of guard BJ Edwards. Having not played since February 25, the Mustangs' chance of making a run in the NCAA Tournament relied heavily on the health of their guard.
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On Saturday, one day before the committee would release the tournament field on Selection Sunday, SMU released a statement on social media that they were hoping would help their case in jumping off the bubble and into the postseason.
"B.J. Edwards is expected to return to competition and be available for the NCAA Tournament," the Mustangs basketball account posted.
Also, SMU officials had supposedly told the committee in private conversations that they would have the services of Edwards if they were to be selected.
"We expect him to help us," head coach Andy Enfield said of Edwards earlier this week. "Injuries are a funny thing, we're just hoping he keeps improving and gives everything he has. Whether he's 100%, we're not sure. But we expect him to keep getting better as the days go by. He looked good this weekend, and today he's feeling much better.
"We're optimistic."
The talented guard had been in a walking boot until recently, working his way back from an injury.
So, how close was SMU to actually making the NCAA Tournament if B.J. Edwards was healthy? Committee chairman Keith Gill said during the selection show that the reason why SMU was chosen over other teams, like Oklahoma, was because they were under the impression he would be playing.
"One of their important players, (BJ) Edwards, lost five of six of those games," NCAA selection committee chair Keith Gill said about SMU. "He's coming back. He's the third leading scorer, defensive player. And so, the quality of wins and obviously them getting back to full strength allowed them to kind of get that last spot."
Did the Mustangs pull a fast one on the NCAA? Possibly, also knowing how much was at stake for actually getting into the postseason. Maybe they thought Edwards would be able to go once they arrived in Dayton for the "First Four" game against Miami (OH).
Sure, Edwards was involved in the Mustangs shoot-around on Tuesday, but SMU did not have to release the final injury report until two hours before tip-off on Wednesday night.