Second-half surge leads women's basketball past UIW

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

Second-Half Surge Leads SMU Past UIW

DALLAS (SMU) – SMU outscored UIW 20-3 in the third quarter en route to a 57-44 victory at Moody Coliseum Wednesday. The Mustangs for the eighth time in their last nine games.

SMU (9-3) erased the five-point halftime deficit when Reagan Bradley buried a 3-pointer at the 7:28 mark. The Cardinals (5-5) regained the lead for the final time when Breelyn Sanborn answered with three of her team-high 12 points, with 7:09 remaining in the frame. UIW failed to score for the next 13 minutes and 52 seconds, allowing SMU to build its largest advantage of the day with a 20-0 run.

Trailing 54-32, Jorga Elliott's triple with 3:36 left in the game ended a 0-for-11 stretch from the field for the Cardinals. With both teams playing their reserves, UIW hit three more 3-pointers for the final margin.

Chantae Embry posted a game-high 14 points, while Savannah Wilkinson led with eight rebounds. Tamia Jones paced the Mustangs with four assists, five steals and three blocks.

Knotted at 17-17 after the first 10 minutes, UIW carried a five-point halftime advantage by holding Mustangs to seven points in the second quarter.

The Cardinals shot 40.7% (11-27), including 7-for-13 (53.8%) from three-point range, while limiting SMU to 33.3% (8-24) from the floor. The Mustangs made 1-of-7 (14.3%) beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes. In the second half, SMU knocked down half of its 24 attempts and held the Cardinals to 25% (5-20), including 5-of-15 (33.3%) from distance. The Mustangs went 15-for-21 (71.4%) from the free-throw line. UIW converted 60% (3-of-5) at the stripe but failed to earn a trip to the line in the second half.

SMU opens American Athletic Conference play on the road, Friday, Dec. 30, at 7 p.m. against Houston.

SMU Points Leader: Chantae Embry (14)
SMU Rebounds Leader: Savannah Wilkinson (8)
SMU Assists Leader: Tamia Jones (4)
SMU Steals Leader: Tamia Jones (5)
SMU Blocks Leader: Tamia Jones (3)

TEAM RECORDS AND SERIES NOTES TEAM NOTES
ΓÇó SMU improved to 9-3 on the season, while the Cardinals fell to 5-5.
ΓÇó The Mustangs went 6-0 inside Moody Coliseum during non-conference play.
ΓÇó UIW dropped to 0-4 on the road this season.
ΓÇó SMU leads the all-time series 2-0, with both games contested at Moody Coliseum.

TEAM RECORDS
ΓÇó SMU matched the 2013-14 team for the best start through 12 games a 9-3 since the 2009-10 squad went 10-2.
ΓÇó The Mustangs' six-game home winning streak is the longest at Moody Coliseum since 2016-17, which went seven.
ΓÇó SMU is one of four schools in The American with an unblemished home record during non-conference play.
ΓÇó Wichita State (5-0) hosts S.C. State Dec. 27, while USF (7-0), Tulsa (7-0), and SMU enter league action unscathed.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES
ΓÇó Junior G Tamia Jones recorded seven points, six rebounds, four assists, five steals and three blocks.
ΓÇó She matched her career high in boards and established new highs in steals and rejections.
ΓÇó Freshman G Ella Brow accounted for nine points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a rejection.
ΓÇó She matched her season high in steals and blocks.
ΓÇó Sophomore F Chantae Embry led all scorers with 14 points, adding four rebounds, one steal, one assist and a block.
ΓÇó She netted her eighth double-digit scoring performance as a Mustang.
ΓÇó Freshman G Jiya Perry netted seven points, with three rebounds, two assists and one steal.
ΓÇó She equaled her collegiate best in each category.
ΓÇó Senior F Savannah Wilkinson totaled seven points, eight rebounds, one assist and two steals.
ΓÇó Senior G Reagan Bradley tallied six points, three rebounds and two assists in her first start since Nov. 29.
ΓÇó Sophomore C Jessica Peterson chipped in with six points and three rebounds.
ΓÇó Senior C Paige Bayliss and freshman C Zoe Manning saw action.

[Arkpony]

A pleasant surprise

[ALEX LIFESON]

A pleasant surprise

It is? The story said they are 5-5 and 0-4 on the road. Who is UIW anyway?

[mrydel]

I would call it a pleasant surprise that we have a BB team that can win even if against a lesser opponent and at home. The other BB team has not been able to do that.

[Arkpony]

A pleasant surprise

It is? The story said they are 5-5 and 0-4 on the road. Who is UIW anyway?

I meant a winning women’s basketball team!!!!

[Arkpony]

I would call it a pleasant surprise that we have a BB team that can win even if against a lesser opponent and at home. The other BB team has not been able to do that.

Exactly

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

A pleasant surprise

It is? The story said they are 5-5 and 0-4 on the road. Who is UIW anyway?

University of The Incarnate Word. I think they are in Texas somewhere. They must be pushing sports information types to use their initialized brand like SMU, UCF, USF, etc. which is kind of funny since nobody knows who they are.

Interestingly, incarnate has the same meaning as carnate.

[AusTxPony]

They're in San Antonio along with UTSA and Trinity.

[tristatecoog]

Their current football coach, GJ Kinne, is headed to TX State. Their previous one is taking over at UNT.

[Terry Webster]

A pleasant surprise

It is? The story said they are 5-5 and 0-4 on the road. Who is UIW anyway?

Not correct cause we beat California at their place.