Box Score | Final Game Book 

TEMPE, Ariz. (SMU) –  The SMU women's basketball program fell 80-73 to Arizona State on Saturday inside the Desert Financial Arena in their opening game of the Briann January Classic.

In their first two games of the weekend, the Mustangs played ASU tough, forcing 23 turnovers and outscoring the Sun Devils in the first and third quarters. The Mustangs trailed only by six early in the fourth, but the ASU's fast-paced offense proved to be too much as the Sun Devils shot 44% from the floor, connecting on 11 three-pointers throughout the game and had two players score 25 points or more.

Guard Nya Robertson led SMU in scoring for the fourth straight game and ended the night with 25 points. She scored 20 of her 25 points in the second half and shot 7-of-15 from the floor and 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. It was her 22^nd career game, scoring 20 or more points.  Robertson also went a season-high 7-of-7 from the foul line.

Zanai Jones finished the game with a season-high 14 points and added four assists. She went 2-3 from beyond the arc as the Mustangs made a season-high eight three-pointers.

Forward Chantae Embry also scored 14 points as she went 3-4 from the line and was tied with center Jessica Peterson for the team-high in rebounds with six. Peterson ended the night with 10, going 4-of-7 from the floor.

// HOW IT HAPPENED
SMU got off to a fast start, hitting four of their first five shots in the earlier portion of the game. Back-to-back steals followed by a Zanai Jones jumper gave SMU a five-point lead halfway through the first.

However, ASU responded with a 7-0 run late in the quarter as SMU led 15-14 at the end of the first.

Both teams traded buckets back and forth to begin the second. Jones knocked down her second three of the half to tie everything at 22 with six minutes left in the quarter. ASU answered with an 8-0 late in the period and outscored the Mustangs 27-15 in the quarter.

ASU led 41-29 at the half, and Peterson was a perfect 4-4 from the field. She led the Mustangs with nine, while Jones added eight, shooting 3-5 from the floor.

In the third quarter, Robertson took it upon herself to cut into the Sun Devil lead as she scored 12 of her 25 total points and went 7-7 from the foul line in the quarter.

SMU outscored ASU 24-20 in the third as the Sun Devils knocked down four from beyond the arc to keep pace with the Mustangs. SMU trailed by single digits at the end of the third (61-53).

SMU cut the lead to six at the beginning of the fourth but that was as close as the Mustangs would get. Both teams struggled to score down the stretch as the Sun Devils held on for a 77-67 victory.

 // NEXT GAME
vs Minnesota | Sunday, Nov. 17 | 1 p.m. CT | Desert Financial Arena
 Radio: SMU App (Google Play | Apple App Store)

// NOTES

• Starters: #1 Zanai Jones (G, Gs.), #3 Nya Robertson (G, Jr.), #2 TK Pitts (G, Jr.), #33 Chantae Embry (F, Sr.), #35 Jessica Peterson (C, Sr.)
• The Mustangs are now 24-16 in non-conference games under Wilson
• SMU is now 12-23 in road games under Wilson

// ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Zanai Jones (#1 G, Gr.)
  • 14 pts, 5-12 FG, 2-3 3pt, 4 assists
  • Season-high point total
  • 11^th career game in double figures
  • 15^th career with 3+ assists
  • Tied season-high in FG made
• Nya Robertson (#3 G, Jr.)
  • 25 points, 7-15 FG, 4-8 3PT, 7-7 FT
  • Scored in double figures for the 12th game in a row dating back to last season
  • 46^th career game scoring in double figures
  • 22^nd career game scoring 20 or more points, the third time this season she has scored 20 or more
• Chantae Embry (#33 F, Sr.)
  • 14 points, 5-14 FG, 1-6 3pt, 3-4 FT, 6 Rebounds
  • 26^th career double-figure scoring game
  • 17^th career game leading SMU in rebounds
  • Is 21-23 from the foul line this season
•  Jessica Peterson (#35 C, Sr.)
  • 10 points, 6 rebounds, 4-7 FG, 2-4 FT
  • Seventh career game-leading SMU in rebounds
  • Seventh career game scoring double figures