East Carolina Pirates (12-5, 3-1 AAC) at SMU Mustangs (11-5, 2-2 AAC)
Jan. 14, 2023 | 6 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN+
Radio: KAAM 770 AM | John Hendry
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OPENING TIP
     •    SMU and ECU meet in AAC play at Moody Coliseum Saturday at 6 p.m.
     •    This is the only meeting between the two teams during the regular season.
     •    The Pirates allow 52.4 points per contest, the fewest in the leagues
          o  The Mustangs rank second, surrendering 57.4 points per game.
     •    SMU leads 7-4 at home but trails 12-15 in the all-time series.
     •    The Mustangs swept the 2021-22 series and own a 4-1 mark in the last five.
     •    SMU won seven of its last 10 games, including 3-2 over the last five.
          o  The Mustangs alternated wins and losses during the five-game stretch.
     •    ECU enters on a three-game winning streak.
          o  The Pirates are 7-3 in the last 10, including four wins over the last five.
 
MOODY MAGIC
     •    SMU is 8-0 at home - the second-best start to open a season.
     •    The 2004-05 squad holds the record, winning the first nine home games.
          o  In 1999-2000, SMU set the school record winning its final nine at home.
 
HOME COOKING
     •    The Mustangs outscored their opponents by nearly 19 points, 67-48.1.
     •    They shoot 43.4% from the floor and hold opponents to 32.1%.
          •   SMU hits 36.3% from the 3-point range to just 27.9% for the opposition.
     •    The Mustangs grab 11.9 (43.4-31.5) more rebounds.
 
QUARTER POLE
     •    SMU is 11-0 when leading or tied after three quarters, including 10-0 when holding the advantage.
     •    The Mustangs own a 10-0 mark when ahead or even after the first period.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
     •    The Mustangs are 9-2 when outrebounding their opponents.
     •    They outscored their foes in paint in 14-of-16 games, winning 11.
     •    SMU is 8-3 when tallying more second-chance points.
 
SHOOTING STARS
     •    SMU owns a 10-1 mark when making a higher percentage of its shots.
     •    The Mustangs are unblemished at 8-0 when hitting at least 40% from the field.
     •    They are 10-1 when holding opponents at 39.9% or less
 
GAME FOR THE AGES
     •    Chantae Embry tallied 15 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and one steal in the win over UCF.
     •    She became the first Mustang with 15+ points, 10+ rebounds, four+ assists and at least one steal since Dai'ja Thomas tallied 15 points, 22 rebounds, four assists and one steal in a win over East Carolina Jan. 13, 2018.
 
GETTING DEFENSIVE
     •   SMU allows 57.4 ppg, ranking second in the AAC and 47th in the nation.
     •    The Mustangs own a 10-2 record when holding opponents below 60 points.
     •    Oklahoma is the only team to surpass its scoring average against SMU.
     •    The Mustangs are 10-1 when holding their opponent under 40% from the floor.
          o  SMU's lone loss when holding a team below 40% occurred at Baylor.
    
BEST IN THE AAC
     •    Jasmine Smith collected AAC Co-Player of the Week Dec. 5, after her performance at the Raising the B.A.R tournament.
          o  Selected to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll Dec. 12.
     •    Savannah Wilkinson earned a unanimous selection on the Preseason All-AAC Team.
     •    Chantae Embry is a two-time AAC Weekly Honor Roll selection (11/14, 01/02).
 
CALIFORNIA DREAMING
    •    SMU won the second Raising the B.A.R Invitational, hosted by Cal Dec. 3-4.
    •        •   The Mustangs defeated Gardner-Webb 84-71 and  Cal 70-56.
    •    Jasmine Smith earned MVP and all-tournament team accolades.
          o  Savannah Wilkinson and Tamia Jones earned all-tournament team honors.
    •    Arkansas-Pine Bluff fell 84-51 against the Golden Bears and 81-71 against the Runnin' Bulldogs.
 
ABOUT THE B.A.R. INVITATIONAL
    •   What was previously known as the Cal Classic, an annual tournament that started in 1978.
    •    The event was re-branded by Cal head coach Charmin Smith to the Raising The B.A.R. Invitational 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.
 
INSIDE THE STREAK
    •   During the seven-game winning streak, the Mustangs averaged 73.3 points.
    •    Opponents averaged 55.6 points and grabbed 10.2 fewer rebounds.
    •    SMU converted 48.5% from the field, including 44.7% behind the arc.
          o  The Mustangs held their foes to 35.3% and 29.3%, respectively.
    •    SMU averaged 11 made free throws and surrendered just 13.4 attempts per contest.
 
LONGEST WINNING STREAKS - SMU PROGRAM HISTORY
     12 - 1999-2000
     10 - 2012-13
     8 - 1998-99, 2004-05, 2007-08
     7 - 1979-80, 1993-94, 2007-08, 2013-14, 2022-23
 
20-20 VISION
     •    Chantae Embry owns two of the Mustangs three 20-point games this season.
          o  The Oklahoma native dropped 20 in her two trips to the Sooner state.
          o  She netted 20 points and four boards in her hometown Nov. 11 at Oklahoma.
          o  Embry tallied 20 points and seven rebounds at Oral Roberts Nov. 26.
     •    Jasmine Smith totaled 21 in a home win over LA Tech Nov. 22.
 
REACHING NEW HEIGHTS
     •    Going into the 2022-23 campaign, SMU finds itself predicted to finish third in the AAC standings, just behind league front-runners USF 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 tied for fourth 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), Jessica Peterson (Fresno State), and a strong five-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.
 
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, intending to help 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.