WBB loses AAC opener at USF, 70-61

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

SMU Falls At South Florida In Conference Opener

TAMPA, Fla. (SMU)- The SMU women's basketball team fell to South Florida 70-61 in its American Athletic Conference opener on Saturday night in the Yuengling Center.

Tiara Young led SMU (6-6; 0-1 AAC) with 17 points and added five rebounds and two assists. Chantae Embry scored 10 points and grabbed three boards. Tamia Jones finished with nine points, three rebounds, and one assist, and Amirah Abdur-Rahim scored double-digit points for the fifth straight game with 10 while grabbing seven rebounds. The senior forward passed out two assists and recorded a career-high four steals.

Reagan Bradley tallied four points, three assists, two steals, and grabbed a season-high six rebounds. Maya Chandler finished with seven points and an assist, and Donavia Hall chipped in four points and recorded a steal.

Jones drilled a three-pointer from the corner to give SMU its first lead of the game at 7-5. Young hit a jumper to reclaim the lead, but a South Florida three-pointer gave the Bulls a one-point lead entering the second quarter.

Embry grabbed a rebound and finished a layup to give the Mustangs the lead to start the second frame. USF countered with seven unanswered to take a six-point lead and force an SMU timeout. A bucket from Young and Jones' second triple of the night countered four more USF points out of the break. Young closed the half with back-to-back buckets to bring the Mustangs within eight at the half.

A finish from Abdur-Rahim and two straight buckets from Embry cut the Mustang deficit to five early in the third period. A pair of free throws from Embry brought the Mustangs within three before the Bulls scored eight straight to take a 49-38 lead into the fourth.

Chandler hit one from behind the arc to start the fourth quarter. Abdur-Rahim recorded her second steal of the night and knocked down two free throws on the other end to bring the Mustangs within six with seven minutes to play. SMU kept battling, but South Florida knocked down five triples down the stretch to create separation.

NEXT GAME
vs. Florida Atlantic – Thursday, Jan. 4 – 7 p.m. CT- Moody Coliseum
TV: ESPN+

NOTES
Starters vs South Florida: #0 Tamia Jones, #13 Reagan Bradley, #1 Tiara Young, #33 Chantae Embry, #23 Amirah Abdur-Rahim
Ninth time with this starting lineup, 4-5 record with this lineup
SMU scored more second-chance points than its opponent for the fourth time this season

SERIES HISTORY
SMU trails the all-time series 17-1

ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Tamia Jones (#0, Sr., G)
9 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
Tiara Young (#1 Gr., G)
17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists
Scored double-digit points for the 11th time in 12 games
Reagan Bradley (#13, Gr., G)
4 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
Tied season-high six rebounds
Recorded her 400th career rebound. Needed three entering the night
Amirah Abdur-Rahim (#23, Sr., F)
10 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists
Career-high four steals
Scored double-digit points for the eighth time this season and fifth game in a row
Maya Chandler (#10, Sr., G)
7 points, 1 assist
Chantae Embry (#33, Jr., F)
10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal
Scored double-digit points for sixth time this season
Donavia Hall (#24, So., G/F)
4 points, 1 steal
Career-high 4 points