SMU Hosts Louisiana Tech Friday In WNIT

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From SMUMustangs.com:

SMU Hosts Louisiana Tech Friday In WNIT
Mays guides Mustangs back to postseason in first year on the Hilltop

DALLAS (SMU/WNIT) – Head coach Travis Mays guided the SMU women's basketball team back to the postseason in his first year on the Hilltop, with the Mustangs advancing to the Women's National Invitation Tournament. SMU will host Louisiana Tech Friday in Moody Coliseum.

SMU is 17-14 overall, winning four of its last six games, and finished tied for fifth in the American Athletic Conference with a 7-9 record. Louisiana Tech is 18-13 overall with a 12-6 record in Conference USA.

This is the 14th time SMU has advanced to the postseason since 1992 and the eighth appearance in the WNIT. It marks the third trip to the postseason tournament in the last five seasons, and first since 2014, when SMU defeated Texas Southern at home in the first round before falling at Minnesota.

Alicia Froling led the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 14.0 points and a league-best 9.9 rebounds per game. She set a program record with 16 double-doubles during the season, surpassing a mark set during the 1984-85 season. The junior was named to the All-American Athletic Conference Second Team, earning all-conference honors for the second straight season. McKenzie Adams also averaged double figures, scoring 12.3 points per game.

SMU is 14th in the NCAA in defensive field goal percentage, holding opponents to 35.2 percent shooting, and in blocks per game, averaging 5.7 per contest. The Mustangs were also in the top 50 in rebounds per game (41.7) and scoring defense (58.2).

The Mustangs went 11-3 at home, including a win against then-No. 19 Texas A&M. All three loses came against teams ranked or receiving votes (No. 1 Connecticut, then-No. 23 USF and [RV] Tulane). SMU dropped three conference games by a combined four points, including a one-point loss to USF.