Texas Rio Grande Valley @ Southern Methodist preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 18, 2013 ) Texas Rio Grande Valley 56, Southern Methodist 82

Despite losing two close games at the Battle 4 Atlantis, SMU showed it has a recipe for success this season. The Mustangs look to get back on track Tuesday when they host Texas Rio Grande Valley.

SMU relied on strong defense and tough rebounding when their shots weren't falling in the Bahamas, where it beat then-No. 4 Arizona in between a pair of losses by a combined five points. The Mustangs averaged 14 offensive rebounds during the tournament while forcing 17 turnovers. "Coach always emphasizes being an offensive rebounding team, a rebounding team period," senior guard Ben Emelogu said after SMU recorded 20 offensive rebounds against Arizona on Thursday. "We have smaller size than (Arizona) and a lot of other teams in the country. We focus on boxing out in practice and going hard to the boards. That's one of our points of emphasis on the team. We just have to keep doing it." The Vaqueros have lost two straight despite guard Nick Dixon's streak of three 20-plus scoring games.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN3.

ABOUT TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY (3-4): Dixon leads the Vaqueros with 23.7 points while Moe McDonald adds 7.9 points and 3.1 assists. Freshman forward Xavier McDaniel Jr. averages 12.1 points, a team-best 7.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks after recording his third double-double of the season. Senior 6-foot-8 posts Dan Kimasa and Adonis Rwabigwi - friends from Rwanda who reunited at Texas Rio Grande Valley - combine for 5.2 points and 4.3 rebounds.

ABOUT SMU (5-2): Shake Milton leads four Mustangs in double figures with 17.7 points and team-best 1.6 steals. Jarrey Foster adds 14.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks while Emelogu adds 10.6 points and a team-high 6.3 boards. The Mustangs rank fifth nationally in scoring defense - allowing 55.4 points - and lead the American Athletic Conference with a plus-3.7 turnover margin.

TIP-INS

1. SMU grad transfer Akoy Agau, a 6-foot-8 forward who played previously at Georgetown, logged 10 minutes at the Battle 4 Atlantis after missing the first five games with a knee infection.

2. The Mustangs have won 26 straight at home, the third-longest active streak in the country.

3. SMU freshman F Ethan Chargois adds 12.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in seven starts and is second on the team in free throw shooting (16-of-22).

PREDICTION: SMU 80, Texas Rio Grande Valley 66