SMU At Texas A&M | Sunday 2 PM

SMU (8-2) at Texas A&M (4-4)
Dec. 18, 2022 – 2 p.m. CT
TV: SECN | Tyler Denning (PxP) | Andrea Lloyd (Analyst)
Radio: KAAM 770 AM | John Hendry
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OPENING TIP
     SMU closes its nonconference slate Sunday at 2 p.m., against Texas A&M in College Station, Texas.
     The Mustangs enter the contest with their longest winning streak in nine years and have won eight of their first 10 games, first time since the 2013-14 campaign.
     During the winning streak, SMU claimed true road wins at Oral Roberts (11/26) and Cal (12/4), along with a neutral site triumph over Gardner-Webb (12/3).
     The seven victories in succession equal the mark set by the 1979-80, 1993-94, 2007-08, 2013-14 squads for the sixth longest stretch in program history.
     The last time a team posted at least eight wins in a row was the 2012-13 team, which rattled off 10-consecutive triumphs.
     The Aggies enter with a 4-4 record, dropping their last three, including a 42-38 setback at Little Rock Tuesday, Dec. 6.

SMU LONGEST WINNING STREAKS - PROGRAM HISTORY
12....................................................................1999-2000
10........................................................................2012-13
8...........................................1998-99, 2004-05, 2007-08
7..........................1979-80, 1993-94, 2007-08, 2013-14

FREE ADMISSION
     Texas A&M is not charging admission to Sunday's contest between the Aggies and SMU.

LAST TIME OUT
     Jasmine Smith set a school record with 12 assists in a 64-46 victory over North Texas at Moody Coliseum Wednesday, Dec. 7.
     It is the seventh straight win for the Mustangs.
    Holding a 28-24 halftime advantage, SMU outscored the Mean Green 25-10 in the third quarter and carried a 19-point cushion into the final period.
     The Mustangs knocked down 11 of 20 from the field during the quarter, including 3 of 5 from beyond the arc.
     They allowed four field goals by North Texas, including 0 for 5 from long range. Full Recap

UP NEXT
     UIW visits Moody Coliseum Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 1 p.m., the final contest before Christmas for the Mustangs.
     It is the final game for SMU before jumping into American Athletic Conference play at Houston Dec. 30.

INSIDE THE STREAK
     During the seven-game winning streak, SMU averages 73.3 points, while holding the opposition to 55.6.
     The Mustangs average 10.2 more rebounds per game.
     SMU converts 48.5% from the field, including 44.7% behind the arc, while holding its foes to 35.3% and 29.3%, respectively.
     The Mustangs average 11-made free throws, while their foes attempt just 13.4 per contest.

GETTING DEFENSIVE
     The Mustangs allowed two of their 10 opponents below 60 points, with every team failing to reach their season average except Oklahoma. The lone loss when holding a team below 60 points occurred at Baylor, a 3-point setback. SMU held 8 of 10 opponents below 40% in field-goal attempts. Oklahoma hit 52.3%, while LA Tech knocked down 47.9%.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES
AMIRAH ABDUR-RAHIM
     •    Netted two points, one rebound, one assists, one block and one steal at Cal.
     •    Recorded seven points and a rebound against Gardner-Webb
     •    Tallied two rebounds, two blocks, an assist and steal in four minutes against UAPB.
     •    Made season debut with two points, three rebounds against Texas A& M - Commerce.

PAIGE BAYLISS
     •    Finished with six points and five rebounds in the win over North Texas.
     •    Totaled two points, one rebound and a block at Cal.
     •    Recorded four rebounds, two blocks, two steals and three assists against UAPB.
     •    Netted eight points, three rebounds, one steal and a block at Oral Roberts
     •    Tallied three blocks, five boards at Baylor.
     •    Secured four boards and added six points in the season-opening win.

REAGAN BRADLEY
     •    Played 11 minutes, grabbing three boards and dropping two dimes against UAPB.
     •    Registered 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and a block at Oral Roberts.
     •    Inked 17 points, three rebounds, six assists and two steals against LA Tech.
     •    Recorded 15 points in the win over Texas A&M - Commerce.
     •    Tallied 11 points five rebound and a season-high five assists at Baylor.
     •    Grabbed a season-high five rebounds at Oklahoma and Baylor.

ELLA BROW
     •    Ranks second on the team with 28 assists, including 14 over her last three contests.
     •    Started the last three games, the first three starts of her collegiate career.
          •   Tallied 18 points - six in each start - with 15 rebounds and four steals.
          •   Set season highs with six assists and six boards against Gardner-Webb - her first start.
     • Notched six points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals against North Texas.
     •    Recorded six points, four boards, four assists and a steal at Cal.
     •    Netted seven points, two rebounds and an assist against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
     •    Handed out three assists, with a rebound and steal at Oral Roberts.
     •    Tallied 12 points against Texas A&M - Commerce - first-career double-digit game.
     •    Grabbed a season-high three boards in loss at No. 15/16 Oklahoma.
     •    Made collegiate debut in season-opening win over Alabama State.

TYMBERLIN Criswell
     •    Netted a point and an assist against Gardner-Webb.
     •    Recorded four points in seven minutes against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
     •    Netted six points, two boards, two steals and a block against Texas A&M - Commerce.
     •    Tallied two points, one rebound and two steals against Alabama State.

CHANTAE EMBRY
     •    Accrued 13 points, nine rebounds, an assist and a steal at Cal.
     •    Inked 16 points and seven rebounds against Gardner-Webb.
     •    Finished with four points and three rebounds against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
     •    Posted 20 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a block at ORU.
     •    Totaled five points and three rebounds against LA Tech.
     •    Registered nine points, five boards and two blocks against Texas A&M - Commerce.
     •    Recorded first-career double-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds at Baylor.
     •    Tallied 20 points, a career-high, with four rebounds at Oklahoma.
     •    Dropped in 16 points, with nine rebounds in her Mustang debut.

TAMIA JONES
     •    Named to the Raising the B.A.R. Invitational All-Tournament Team
     • Recorded eight points, four boards and three steals against North Texas.
     •    Posted a career-high 17 points, with six boards and four assists at Cal
     •    Tallied 10 points, five rebounds and four assists against Gardner-Webb.
     •    Recorded 13 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals against UAPB.
     •    Totaled five points, four rebounds, two steals and two blocks at Oral Roberts.
     •    Dropped in seven points, four rebounds and a steal against LA Tech.
     •    Finished with 13 points, two boards and three steals against Texas A&M - Commerce.
     •    Netted nine points, two boards and a block in season opener.

ZOE MANNING
     •    Grabbed one rebound in three minutes of action against UAPB.
     •    Collected a rebound against Texas A&M - Commerce.
     •    Made debut against Alabama State, with one rebound and one block.

JIYA PERRY
     •    Tallied five points, one assist and one steal against North Texas.
     •    Had a steal at Cal.
     •    Netted three points, two rebounds and two assists against Gardner-Webb.
     •    Totaled seven points, two rebounds, an assist and steal against UAPB.
     •    Finished with four points and three rebounds against Texas A&M - Commerce.

JESSICA PETERSON
     • Dropped in a career-high 12 points, with six rebounds against North Texas.
     •    Posted six points, three boards, a block and a steal against Gardner-Webb.
     •    Totaled 10 points, eight rebounds, two assists and a block against UAPB.
     •    Recorded three points, three boards, an assist and a steal at Oral Roberts.
     •    Netted five points, four rebounds, one block and steal against LA Tech.
     •    Tallied five points and an assist at Oklahoma.
     •    Dropped in 10, with eight rebounds and two steals in season opener.

TK PITTS
     •    Finished with two points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal at ORU.
     •    Netted two points and two rebounds against LA Tech.
     •    Added four points, four rebounds and an assist against Texas A&M - Commerce.
     •    Finished with two points, five rebounds and a steal at Baylor.
     •    Tallied four points and two rebounds at Oklahoma.
     •    Posted 11 points, six boards, three assists and three steals against Alabama State - career debut.

ZARIA Rufus
     •    Totaled two points and six rebounds at Oklahoma.

JASMINE SMITH
     -    Needs 32 rebounds and 65 assists to reach 500 in her career.
     -    Named tournament MVP at the Raising the B.A.R. Invitational
     -    Scored the 1,000th point of her career against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
     -    Set a school record with 12 assists in the win over North Texas.
     -    Named tournament MVP at the Raising the B.A.R Invitational.
     -    Earned American Athletic Conference Player of the Week Dec. 5.
     -    Member of the AAC Weekly Honor Roll Dec. 12.
     •    Added 12 points, four boards, four blocks and a steal against North Texas.
     • Smith netted her first double-double of the season.
     • Scored at least 10 points in eight games, including seven straight.
     •    Accumulated 16 points, three boards, five assists and two steals at Cal.
     •    Totaled 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists against Gardner-Webb
     •    Eclipsed 1,000 points in her career with 19 against UAPB.
          •   She added two rebounds, three assists, three blocks and a steal.
     •    Posted 14 points, four rebounds, four steals and two assists at ORU.
     •    Accrued 21 points against LA Tech, with a rebound, block and steal.
     •    Tallied eight points, four steals, three assists and two blocks against Texas A&M - Commerce.
     •    Notched 12 points, five boards, four assists and a steal at No.17 Baylor.
     •    Tallied 19 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals at Oklahoma.

SAVANNAH Wilkinson
     -    Unanimous Preseason All-American Conference First Team Selection
     -    Named to the Raising the B.A.R. Invitational All-Tournament Team.
     -    Recorded six points, surpassing 600 in her career, with seven rebounds, eclipsing 500 in her career in win over Texas A&M - Commerce.
    • Totaled 13 points, 13 rebounds and three assists against North Texas.
          • Recorded her 18th-career double-double, including four this season.
     • Scored in double figures for the seventh time this season, including four-straight games.
     •    Finished with 16 points, nine boards and two blocks at Cal.
     •    Totaled 15 points, five rebounds and two blocks against Gardner-Webb.
     •    Recorded 10 points, eight rebounds and two steals against UAPB.
     •    Posted six points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals at ORU.
     •    Netted a double-double at Oklahoma with 12 points, 11 rebounds.
     •    Tallied a double-double against Alabama State with 12 points, 11 rebounds.

CALIFORNIA DREAMING
     SMU won the second Raising the B.A.R Invitational, hosted by Cal Dec. 3-4 in Berkeley, Calif
     The Mustangs defeated Gardner-Webb 84-71, in the opener before capping off the weekend with a 70-56 victory over Cal.
     Jasmine Smith earned MVP honors, while Savannah Wilkinson and Tamia Jones joined her on the all-tournament team.
     Arkansas-Pine Bluff dropped an 84-51 result against the Golden Bears Saturday and finished 0-2 with an 81-71 setback against the Runnin' Bulldogs Sunday.

ABOUT THE B.A.R. INVITATIONAL
     What was previously known as the Cal Classic, an annual tournament that started in 1978, was re-branded by Cal head coach Charmin Smith to the Raising The B.A.R. Invitational in order to is to elevate the voices, stories and people in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging space. The purpose of the event is to shine a light on the fact that Black female coaches are a highly underrepresented group among women's DI college basketball programs and put on an event that highlights them.

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS
     Going into the 2022-23 campaign, SMU finds itself predicted to finish third in the AAC standings, just behind league frontrunners South Florida and Houston.
     The team has a unanimous preseason all-conference first-team selection in Savannah Wilkinson and a lot of momentum to build on after finishing fifth in the league last year and making the WNIT for the first time since 2017.

EXPERIENCE AND YOUTH
     It is easy to understand why outsiders would have higher opinions coming into this season. SMU returns eight players who saw significant playing time, including regular starters Wilkinson, Jasmine Smith and Reagan Bradley.
     Additionally, the team gets reinforcements from transfers like Chantae Embry (Texas Tech) and Jessica Peterson (Fresno State) and a strong four-player freshman class.
     Not only was SMU picked to finish near the top of the AAC, but the Mustangs received a vote in the preseason USA Today/Coaches Top 25 poll.

BUILDING ON YEAR ONE
     After finishing 14-15 overall last year and 7-7 in the AAC, Wilson is ready to see how competitive her squad can be.
     The season begins Nov. 7 inside Moody Coliseum against Alabama State. Shortly after that, the nonconference slate amps up quickly with dates against preseason ranked foes in No. 15 Oklahoma (November 11) and No. 18 Baylor (November 15) in back-to-back games, along with California (December 4) and Texas A&M (December 18) down the road.
     Those outings will provide bigger tests but will also be opportunities for the Mustangs to prove that the preseason praise was well-deserved.

BOLD: Big Opportunities Live in Dallas
     As part of its goal of Shaping Champions and preparing students for life, SMU Athletics proudly announces the addition of its BOLD (Big Opportunities Live in Dallas) Program to its suite of student-athlete development tools, with the goal of helping student-athletes navigate and capitalize on new Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) legislation.

BOLD will provide SMU student-athletes with the means to navigate the evolving NIL landscape.
     The BOLD program will incorporate INFLCR, a comprehensive NIL education and compliance solution, and campus resources from the Cox School of Business, the Dedman School of Law, and the Meadows School of the Arts.

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Players Mentioned

Reagan Bradley

Chantae Embry

Tamia Jones

Jessica Peterson

Jasmine Smith

Savannah Wilkinson

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