WBB drops 13th straight, 63-51, to Virginia on Senior Night

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

Mustangs drop game to Virginia on Senior Night

DALLAS (SMU) – The SMU women's basketball program fought hard in a defensive battle but fell 63-51 to Virginia on Thursday inside Moody Coliseum.

After a low-scoring first half, SMU caught fire in the second half, shooting 54% from the floor, but was unable to overcome the double-digit halftime deficit after being outscored 14-4 in the second quarter.

The Mustangs made it difficult for UVA to get good looks from outside as the Cavaliers were 5-for-26 from three-point range. SMU shot 35% from the floor in the game and had 13 fast break points but lost the battle inside 32 to 24.

On senior night, graduate student Zanai Jones led SMU with16 points, eight of which came in the fourth quarter. She made six of her 14 field goal attempts and was 4-of-4 from the line while adding three assists.

Senior Jessica Peterson scored 13 points and hauled in nine rebounds. After breaking the SMU program record for most rebounds in a single season last game, she increased her record total to 350 on the year.

TK Pitts and Kylie Marshall each added five points and Pitts also made an impact on the defensive end with three steals.

The five seniors of Zanai Jones, Kaysia Woods, Sandra Magolico, Chantae Embry, and Jessica Peterson were honored before and after the game for their contributions to the program.

The Mustangs are now 10-19 (2-15 ACC) overall, while Virginia improved to 15-14 (7-10 ACC).

It was a closely contested first quarter as both teams struggled to find offensive consistency. Virginia was 1-10 from three-point range in the period. Marshall and Peterson led SMU with five points as the Mustangs trailed 15-14 at the end of the quarter.

Virginia opened the second quarter on an 11-2 run, pushing its lead to double digits. A put back layup from Peterson cut the lead back to eight with four minutes left in the period. UVA outscored SMU 14-4 in the low-scoring quarter and led by 11 at the half.

Defensive pressure from both teams made scoring difficult as UVA was 3-15 from beyond the arc and SMU shot only 19% from the field in the first half. Peterson led SMU with nine points in the half as the Mustangs were 7-of-12 from the line.

Virginia pushed its lead to 16 in the third before SMU answered with a 6-0 run highlighted by a Tk Pitts steal and score play. The Mustangs outscored UVA 16-to-15 in the period behind six from Jones, yet SMU still trailed by 10.

SMU came out hot in the fourth and cut the Cavalier to six with seven minutes left in the game. However, UVA would respond with a 10-5 run and kept the game out of reach for the Mustangs.

// NEXT GAME
vs (9/10) N.C. State | Sunday, March 2 | David B. Miller Court at Moody Coliseum | Regular Season Finale | 11 a.m. CT | TV: ACCN

// NOTES
Starters: #1 Zanai Jones (G, Gs.), #2 TK Pitts (G, Jr.) #22 Kylie Marshall (G, (G, Fr.), #4 Kaysia Woods (F, Sr.), #35 Jessica Peterson (C, Sr.)-2nd game this season with this lineup.
SMU is now 0-2 all-time vs Virginia