WBB tops Temple, advances to face UCF

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

No. 5 SMU Advances To AAC Semifinals With Win Against Temple

FORT WORTH, Texas (SMU) – The SMU women's basketball team earned its first American Athletic Conference tournament win since 2017, defeating Temple 63-55 in the quarterfinal round Tuesday at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Mustangs led for all but 37 seconds in the game. Midway through the first quarter, Mia Davis scored to give Temple its first lead, 9-8 with 4:11 left. The Owls' advantage lasted 25 second before Jasmine Smith put the Mustangs back in front. Three minutes later, Davis gave Temple a 13-12 lead with a pair of free throws. Just 12 second later, Kayla White scored, giving SMU a 14-13 lead. The basket sparked a 6-0 run to end the quarter for the Mustangs, who never trailed again.

No. 5-seed SMU (14-13) held No. 4-seed Temple (13-15) to 13 points in both the first and second quarters, taking a seven-point lead into halftime, 33-26. The Owls scored the first five points of the second half, cutting the lead to two and forcing SMU to call timeout. Out of the break, Sydne Wiggins provided the spark. The senior transfer made a 3-pointer that pushed her over 1,000 points for her career and brought the SMU bench to its feet. The shot started a 6-0 run for the Mustangs, pushing the lead back to eight, 39-31 with 4:53 remaining in the third quarter.

The fourth quarter saw SMU extend its lead to as many as 14 points. The defense kept Temple from getting within six points of the lead for the final 7:40 of the game. Smith led the Mustangs with a game-high 16 points. Savannah Wilkinson posted her 13th double-double of the season with 10 points and 14 rebounds, including nine in the first half. Wiggins finished with 10 points and six assists, and Reagan Bradley added eight points.

Defensively, the Mustangs held The American's leading scorer to 12 points without allowing another player to score in double figures. After splitting two games at SMU to end the regular season, the Mustangs claimed the rubber match to advance to The American semifinals for the first time. The Mustangs will face No. 1-seed UCF Wednesday at 4 p.m.

[ClassOf81]

Beat UCF!

[ALEX LIFESON]

Congrats ladies!

[soccermom]

Yay!!!

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

It would be so awesome to beat Central Florida today.

Go Ponies!