SMU (3-0) vs No. 5 Colorado (3-0)
Moody Coliseum – Dallas, Texas
Saturday, November 18, 2023 – 8 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN+ I Live Stats
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OPENING TIP
SMU faces No. 5 Colorado on Saturday. Tip off is set for 8 p.m. in Moody Coliseum. 
The action can be seen on ESPN+, with live stats accessible at SMUMustangs.com.
Colorado is the fourth highest-ranked non-conference opponent the Mustangs have faced since the 2001-02 season. 
#3 Oklahoma- 2001-02
#5 Texas Tech- 2003-04
#3 Tennessee- 2013-14
#4 Texas A&M- 2014-15
#5 Colorado- 2022-23

LAST TIME OUT 
SMU 69, Nicholls 54 I Tuesday, Nov. 14
DALLAS (SMU)- Using Tiara Young's 24 points and seven rebounds, the SMU women's basketball team defeated Nicholls 69-54 on Tuesday afternoon in Moody Coliseum.

SMU (3-0) used a dominant second half to pick up its third straight victory. The Mustangs are 3-0 for the first time since the 2013-14 season. The Mustang defense shined, holding Nicholls to 39% shooting on the day. The Mustangs forced 20 turnovers and outscored the Colonels 23-4 in transition.  

Amirah Abdur-Rahim turned in her second double-digit scoring performance, finishing with 14 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks. Reagan Bradley scored 10 points, grabbed three rebounds, and passed out three assists. Tamia Jones finished with a season-high 14 points, tied her career-high with eight assists, and added four steals. 

TK Pitts grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds and added four points and a pair of steals, while Chantae Embry chipped in three points, four rebounds, two assists, and three steals. 

LAST MEETING
Colorado 78, SMU 55 I Friday, Nov. 10, 2017
BOULDER, Colo. (SMU) – The SMU women's basketball team became the first team to score at least 55 points against Colorado, but the effort was not enough as the Buffaloes remained undefeated with the victory Friday night in the CU Events Center. Colorado entered the contest, SMU's first in 10 days, receiving votes in both top-25 polls and ranked ninth nationally in scoring defense, holding opponents to 49.4 points per game. The Mustangs battled with a strong second half performance, scoring 36 in the final 20 minutes, including a 19-14 advantage in the third quarter.

SCOUTING THE FIFTH-RANKED BUFFALOES
Colorado enters Saturday's contest with a 3-0 record. 
Colorado started off the season with a dominating victory over then- No. 1 LSU. The Buffaloes defeated the Tigers 92-78. Most recently, Colorado defeated Oklahoma State 86-75. 
Colorado was picked fourth in the 2023-24 PAC-12 Preseason Poll.  

STARTING STRONG 
SMU is off to a fast start through its first three games. The Mustangs are 3-0 for the first time since the 2013-14 season. 
The Mustangs won their third consecutive season opener with a 78-55 victory over UC Riverside, followed by a dominating 96-47 victory over Alabama State. SMU's 96 points marked the most points scored during the Toyelle Wilson era.
Most recently, SMU took down Nicholls 69-54 on Tuesday. 
SMU ranks in the top-two in the AAC in six different team categories: FG% (.506), 1st AAC/23rd nationally, 3pt FG% (.422), 1st AAC/22nd nationally, assists per game (20.0), 1st AAC/24th nationally, scoring offense (81.0), 2nd AAC/63rd nationally, scoring defense (52.0), 2nd AAC/45th nationally, assist/turnover ratio (1.43), 2nd AAC/39th nationally.  

A WALKING BUCKET
Former AAC Sixth Player of the Year Tiara Young is off to a solid start for the Mustangs. 
Young has led the Mustangs and turned in double-digit points in scoring in all three games and ranks in the top 30 nationally in total points, averaging 20.1 points per game. 
Young had a strong debut, posting 20 points, three rebounds, and five assists to lead SMU over UC Riverside. Young posted her second double-digit scoring performance  of the year with 17 points against Alabama State. 
The graduate student scored a season-high 24 points and earned her 1000th career point against Nicholls. 

EMBRY PICKING UP WHERE SHE LEFT OFF
Chantae Embry is picking up where she left off last season. Embry started this season's campaign with a double-double (16 points, 12 rebounds), and added five assists and two steals. 
Embry added 13 points, four rebounds, one steal and assist, while tying her career-high of two three point field goals against Alabama State. 
Chantae Embry owned four of the Mustangs' seven 20-point games last season (20 at OU, 20 at Oral Roberts, 20 vs. ECU, 21 vs. Houston) 
Embry started 28 games and averaged 11.6 points (20th AAC), 6.2 rebounds (11th AAC) per game, while shooting 48.3% from the field and 75.5% at the free throw line. 
She recorded five double-doubles on the year.

BRADLEY LEAVING HER MARK
Guard Reagan Bradley returns for her fifth season on the Hilltop. Bradley moved to sixth on SMU's All-Time Assists list with 329 total after tying her career high of nine against Alabama State. 
Bradley opened the season by moving to seventh on the list after passing out two against UC Riverside.
Bradley has turned in double-digit scoring performances in two out of the Mustangs first three contests. The graduate student has passed out 14 assists (3rd AAC/53rd nationally), and 4.7 assists per game (5th AAC/105 nationally).
Bradley started 26 games last season, averaging 8.7 points, 3.1 assists (8th AAC), and three rebounds while playing 30.2 minutes per game.
Bradley has started 85 and played in 91 games at SMU entering the 2023-24 season. 
SMU Career Assists
489 Suzanne McAnally 1989-92
481 Kendall Shead 2003-06
462 Karen Blair 1995-99
435 Brittany Gilliam 2006-10
368 Missy Parker 1990-93
329 Reagan Bradley 2019-24
327 Tomi Hollis 1983-86
319 Alisha Filmore 2009-13

CAREER START FOR ABDUR-RAHIM
Amirah Abdur-Rahim is off to a career start. 
The senior forward chipped in 14 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks against Nicholls. 
Abdur-Rahim led the Mustangs against Alabama State, posting career highs in points, rebounds, blocks, and steals. The senior forward earned a double-double (18 points, 11 rebounds), while adding four blocks, two steals, and an assist.
Abdur-Rahim has blocked eight shots this season (1st AAC/10th nationally), and averages 2.67 blocks per game (1st AAC, 22nd nationally).

FILLING UP THE STAT SHEET
Tamia Jones has done it all for the Mustangs so far this season.
Jones enters Saturday's contest after totaling 33 points, 11 rebounds, 19 assists, and 11 steals through three games. 
Jones tied her career-high with eight assists against Nicholls and tallied double-digit points (14) for the second time this season. 
Jones has passed out 19 assists on the year (1st AAC/14th nationally) and averages 6.3 assists per game (3rd AAC, 32nd nationally).

BACK-TO-BACK POSTSEASON APPEARANCES  
SMU made the WNIT for the second consecutive season under Head Coach Toyelle Wilson. 
The Mustangs made the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time since 2014 and 2015. The 2022-23 season marked the third postseason appearance in seven seasons. 
SMU defeated Little Rock 68-42 in the first round of the WNIT in Moody Coliseum.

MOODY MAGIC
SMU is off to a 3-0 start in Moody Coliseum this season. Last season, SMU finished 13-2 in Moody Coliseum, including a 10-0 start at home- breaking the program's best start to open a season (2004-05) and best home winning streak (1999-00, final nine games). 

HOME COOKING
The Mustangs outscored their opponents 67.1-52.4 at Moody Coliseum, shooting 44.1% to opponents' 34.2% last season.  
In rebounding action, SMU owned the 40.9-32.2 advantage.
The Mustangs averaged 4.7 more assists than their opponents at Moody Coliseum.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
SMU is outshooting opponents .506-.350 so far this season, including a .422-.233 advantage from behind the arc. 
SMU averages more rebounds per game than its opponents, while recording seven more assists per game. 
SMU is doubling opponents up in points off turnovers (28.7-14.0), recording 3.6 more steals, and blocking two more shots per game than its opponents. 
The Mustangs were 15-5 when out rebounding their opponents last season.
SMU finished the year outscoring its foes in the paint in 22 of the last 30 games, winning 17.
SMU was 14-1 when recording more assists than its opponent.
SMU scored more bench points than its opponents 12 times last season. 
SMU was 16-2 when holding opponents at 39.9% or less. 

SHOOTING STARS
SMU has outshot its opponents in each game this season. 
The Mustangs have shot over 50% from the field in two out of their first three games, including an average of 42.2% from the three point line, ranking first in the league and 22nd nationally. 

GETTING DEFENSIVE
SMU is allowing only 52.0 ppg, ranking second in the conference and 45th in the nation. 
The Mustangs have held each of their opponents under 55 points this season. 
SMU has held all three of its opponents under 40% shooting this season. 
SMU allowed 58.3 ppg, ranking second in the AAC and 41st in the nation last season. 
Oklahoma (97-74), Wichita State (73-65) and Temple (68-62) were the only teams to surpass its scoring average against SMU in regulation. ECU scored 66 in the Mustangs' overtime win, surpassing last season's average of 62.4 and Memphis scored 69 points in overtime, surpassing its average of 68.1. 
SMU's three losses when holding a team below 40% occurred at Baylor, Tulane and against Houston in the AAC Quarterfinal.
    
RETURNERS AAC AWARDS 
Ella Brow was named the AAC Freshman of the Week on Jan. 16  after wins against Cincinnati and ECU.
Chantae Embry was a five-time AAC Weekly Honor Roll selection last season (2/13, 1/24, 1/16, 1/2, 11/14).
Jessica Peterson earned a spot on the final 2022-23 Weekly Honor Roll for the first time in her career on March 2. 

RECAPPING THE 2022-23 SEASON
SMU finished the 2022-23 season with a 17-13 record.  
SMU went 13-2 in Moody Coliseum, including a program-record 10-game home winning streak. Savannah Wilkinson, Jasmine Smith and Ella Brow each earned All-American Athletic Conference honors. 
The Mustangs made the WNIT for the second straight season, earning a postseason bid in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2014 and 2015. 
The Mustangs ranked second in scoring defense in the AAC, holding opponents to only 58.3 points per game. 
Three different Mustangs finished in the top 10 in the league in four separate individual categories.

NO PRESSURE, NO DIAMONDS
The Mustangs 11-game non-conference gauntlet features eight games in Moody Coliseum. 
SMU will navigate a tough non-conference schedule, featuring games against No. 19 Baylor, and fifth-ranked Colorado along with a matchup with Toledo who is receiving votes after a run to the quarterfinals of the WNIT last season.

WELCOME TO THE HILLTOP
SMU welcomes two freshman and two transfers to the Hilltop for the 2023-24 season. 
Tiara Young I G I GR I Shreveport, La./Houston
2022-23 (Senior at Houston): Appeared in 30 games, starting one game on Senior Night against Wichita State (Mar. 1)... Finished 17 games with 10 or more points and led the Cougars in scoring in 10 games…Led the team in free throws made (85), while finishing second in points (361), field goals made (136), and assists (51)... Recorded several career-highs in her senior season including a 26-point performance in the American Athletic Conference Tournament semifinal against Wichita State (Mar. 8)... Unanimously American Athletic Conference Sixth Player of the Year… Dave Campbell's Texas Basketball Sixth Woman of the Yea

Maya Chandler I G I SR I Martinsville, Ind./Loyola Chicago
2022-23 (Junior at Loyola Chicago): Started 23 games and appeared in 30… Led the Ramblers in scoring with 10.7 points per game… Averaged three rebounds per game… Totaled 34 assists and 31 steals… Shot 82.6% from the charity stripe.

Aaliyah Henderson I G I FR I Norman, Okla. 
High School: Henderson, a three-year letterwinner for Norman High School ranks in the top-five in Oklahoma for the class of 2022 at the point-guard position. She earned two All-Central Oklahoma Athletic Conference Selections, including first team in 2022. Her team won the 2021 Oklahoma 6A State Title after qualifying for the state tournament the previous year, before it was cancelled due to COVID-19. Her other accolades include Joe Lawson All Tournament First Team, Bruce Gray Invitational All Tournament MVP, 56th Annual Tournament of Champions All-Tournament First Team, Big All City Second Team, The Oklahoman Super 5 Honorable Mention, a two-time All-Oklahoma Honorable mention. In the classroom, Henderson entered her senior campaign for accuracy.

Shanel Reid I G I FR I Austin Texas
High School: A three-year letterwinner for Austin High School earned All-Texas First Team Honors twice, an All-Texas Academic First Team Accolade, All-Region First Team in 2021-22, All-District First Team Selection and 2019-20 district newcomer of the year and offensive MVP.

PRESEASON PROWESS
SMU was predicted to finish fourth in the AAC standings in 2023-24 Preseason Poll behind league front-runners USF, ECU, and Rice. 

PONY UP DALLAS 
In just seven days, SMU has raised $100 million to support the Mustangs' transition to the Atlantic Coast Conference. 
The generous early commitments from a group of thirty donors that includes trustees and key donors – alumni and non-alumni alike – will enable SMU to align and compete with an elite group of national institutions with powerhouse athletic programs, benefitting both SMU Athletics and the entire University community. 
The move to the new conference is also creating additional impact. Mustang fans have responded enthusiastically to the planned move, with men's basketball season ticket sales jumping 30% in the last week and hundreds of new football season tickets being sold as well.
Notably, the move has immediately raised SMU's profile, with media coverage of the move generating more than $163 million in advertising value in the first three days. In that same small window, SMU also experienced a 103% increase in visitors to its undergraduate admissions homepage.

BOLD: BIG OPPORTUNITIES LIVE IN DALLAS
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.