DAYTON, Ohio — SMU will be without starting guard BJ Edwards yet again in its first NCAA Tournament game in nine years.
Edwards will miss SMU’s First Four game against Miami (Ohio) Wednesday night in Dayton with an ankle injury, a person familiar with the decision confirmed to The Dallas Morning News. Forward Corey Washington, who dislocated his shoulder in SMU’s ACC tournament game against Louisville, will play.
Edwards has not played since Feb. 25 when he was injured in the first half against California. The Mustangs have gone 1-4 in their last six games without him.
The news comes as a surprise, as SMU announced in a statement Friday that “B.J. Edwards is expected to return to competition and be available for the NCAA Tournament.”
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The selection committee factored Edwards’ return into their decision to give SMU the last at-large berth in March Madness.
“Six games ago, they lost one of their important players Edwards, and they’ve lost five of six of those games, but he’s coming back,” selection committee chair Keith Gill said on CBS Sunday. “The quality of wins and obviously them getting back to full strength allowed them to get that last spot.”
But SMU’s strong messaging around Edwards’ return had gotten less convincing over the last few days.
“He’s made a lot of progress,” SMU coach Andy Enfield said in Dayton Tuesday afternoon. “It’s going to be a situation where if he can go, great, but we’re always going to do what’s best for the student-athlete. We feel great right now, and he looked great yesterday.”
If SMU advances, Edwards could return later in the tournament.
Edwards averages 12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists and a conference-leading 2.3 assists this season. He was named to the ACC All-Defensive Team the last two seasons and earned All-ACC honors this year.
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