Mustangs Visit Memphis Friday | 7 p.m.

SMU (10-4, 1-1 AAC) at Memphis (8-7, 0-2 AAC)
Jan. 6, 2023 | 7 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN+
Radio: KAAM 770 AM | John Hendry
Audio Streaming: SMU App (Google Play | Apple App Store)
Gameday Central | Live Stats
SMU Digital Program | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
SMU Notes | AAC Notes

OPENING TIP
   • SMU and the Tigers meet for the first of two regular-season clashes at 7 p.m. Friday.
   • The Mustangs lead the all-time series 17-8, including 9-4 in Memphis.
   •` During the 2021-22 campaign, the teams swapped road triumphs.
      • SMU claimed a 63-44 victory in Tennessee Jan. 8, 2022.
      • The Tigers earned a 72-54 victory at Moody Coliseum Feb. 16, 2022.
   • The Mustangs own a 6-4 mark over the last 10 games, with the squads alternating wins over the last five.

LAST TIME OUT
   • SMU outscored the Knights 23-12 in the third quarter.
   • The 23 points fell one shy of the Mustangs output in the first half.
   • Embry tallied 15 points and 13 rebounds, her second-consecutive double-double.
   • Bayliss rejected three field-goal attempts, matching a career-high.
   • Bradley notched 12 points and five assists.
   • Wilkinson added eight points, six boards and three blocks.

      SMU Points Leader: Chantae Embry (15)
      SMU Rebounds Leader: Chantae Embry (13)
      SMU Assists Leader: Reagan Bradley (5)
      SMU Steals Leader: Tamia Jones (3)
      SMU Blocks Leader: Paige Bayliss, Savannah Wilkinson (3)

GETTING DEFENSIVE
   •   SMU allows 56.8 ppg, ranking second in the AAC and 45th nationally.
   • The Mustangs own an 9-2 record when holding opponents below 60 points.
    • Oklahoma is the only team to surpass its scoring average against SMU.
    • The Mustangs are 9-1 when holding their opponent under 40% from the floor.
      • SMU's lone loss when holding a team below 40% occurred at Baylor.
   • Oklahoma, LA Tech and Texas A&M and Houston shoot over 40%.
      • LA Tech is the lone win in the four games.

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.
      • Selected to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll Dec. 12.
   • Savannah Wilkinson earned a unanimous selection to 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 70-56, victory over Cal.
    • Jasmine Smith earned MVP and all-tournament team accolades.
      • 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.
         • 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-points games this season.
      • The Oklahoma native dropped 20 in her two trips to the Sooner state.
      • She netted 20 points and four boards in her hometown Nov. 11 at Oklahoma.
      • 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.

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 non-conference 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, 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.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Paige Bayliss

Reagan Bradley

Chantae Embry

Tamia Jones

Jessica Peterson

Jasmine Smith

Savannah Wilkinson

Footer