The NCAA learned a lesson with SMU: Don't trust teams with injury reports, as BJ Edwards saga proved

The speech surrounding nan wellness of SMU defender B.J. Edwards led to plentifulness of outrage connected Wednesday nighttime earlier nan Mustangs had moreover started their crippled against Miami (OH). 

For 2 days starring up to ‘Selection Sunday’, nan wounded position of Edwards was a talking constituent arsenic to whether SMU deserved to beryllium successful nan field. On paper, judge its resume' looked for illustration a squad that would beryllium worthy of hopping disconnected nan bubble and into nan ‘first four’. 

But, pinch nan comments from NCAA Selection Committee chair, Keith Gill, nan outrage seemed to return connected a life of its ain pursuing nan Mustangs' 89-79 nonaccomplishment to nan RedHawks. 

What was nan deciding facet for SMU to make nan field? 

"One of their important players, (BJ) Edwards, mislaid 5 of six of those games," NCAA action committee chair Keith Gill said astir SMU. "He's coming back. He's nan 3rd starring scorer, protect player. And so, nan value of wins and evidently them getting backmost to afloat spot allowed them to benignant of get that past spot."

Did SMU Mislead The NCAA? B.J. Edwards Not Playing Against Miami (OH) Raises Ethics Concerns

Ok, truthful they trusted a schoolhouse that was connected nan bubble to springiness correct accusation connected a player's readiness pinch a spot successful nan tourney connected nan line. 

Sorry, NCAA, that's connected you. Just making nan tourney is simply a financial summation for nan Mustangs, and possibly they really did deliberation Edwards would beryllium disposable for nan opening crippled against Miami (OH). 

Did SMU Lie Its Way Into NCAA Tournament With Health Status Of BJ Edwards? They Might've Fooled Committee (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

Maybe The NCAA Learned A Lesson With SMU

The problem was that location was zero guarantee that he would play. Even pinch SMU putting retired a connection connected societal media and letting committee members cognize that it ‘expected’ B.J. Edwards to play successful nan opener, you can't spot nan schools to beryllium 100 percent truthful astir a player's health, until they are forced to. 

So, erstwhile nan last wounded study came retired 2 hours earlier nan crippled connected Wednesday nighttime and Edwards was listed arsenic ‘out’, it was questionable whether SMU had played nan system. 

Following nan 89-79 loss, SMU caput coach Andy Enfield was asked astir nan events starring up to Edwards not taking nan court. 

"He looked really bully successful believe today, past mates days, he changeable nan shot well," Enfield said pursuing nan loss. "He's moving well, but I deliberation there's a point called crippled readiness, and he conscionable didn't consciousness for illustration he was rather crippled ready. He said, 'I could decidedly play connected Friday, if we triumph this game,' decidedly going to play connected Friday, but conscionable not rather crippled ready.

"Really, that was astir apt a time short."

OutKick said pinch 1 Power-4 caput coach connected Thursday morning, who had this to opportunity astir nan ordeal. 

"I'm judge nan Edwards kid had nan volition of playing. But, if you're relying connected nan schoolhouse to springiness you afloat transparency pinch a spot successful nan tourney connected nan line, it's connected nan NCAA for relaying nan connection that this was a main logic arsenic to why they sewage in. What's SMU expected to say? They weren't going to connote that he'd beryllium fresh by nan 2nd game, but not nan first.

"If that were nan case, it didn't sound arsenic if nan NCAA would person put them in."

Either way, hopefully nan NCAA learned a instruction from this ordeal. 

And adjacent time, I'd ideate nan action committee won't spot an readiness study for a squad connected nan bubble, aliases a squad looking to summation its seeding successful nan tournament.