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SMU Hits The Road To Face Wichita State I Wednesday, 6 PM

Feb 27

SMU (13-13; 7-8 AAC) at Wichita State (8-19; 4-11 AAC)
Charles Koch Arena – Wichita, Kansas
Wednesday, Feb. 28 2024– 6 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN+ I Live Stats
Radio: KAAM 770 AM | Audio Streaming: SMU App (Google Play | Apple App Store)
SMU Notes | Wichita State | American
SMU Basketball Yearbook | SMU Digital Game Program
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OPENING TIP
SMU hits the road to face Wichita State on Wednesday night. 
Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. in Charles Koch Arena
Wednesday's action can be seen on ESPN+, with live stats accessible at SMUMustangs.com/stats.

LAST TIME OUT 
ECU 74, SMU 64 I Saturday, Feb. 24
DALLAS (SMU)- The SMU women's basketball team fell to East Carolina 74-64 on Saturday afternoon in Moody Coliseum.

Amirah Abdur-Rahim led SMU (13-13; 7-8 American Athletic Conference) with 14 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Reagan Bradley added 11 points, two boards, five assists, and two steals, and Tiara Young tallied 11 points, five boards, three assists, and two steals. Maya Chandler scored 11 points and grabbed six boards, and TK Pitts turned in 12 points, two rebounds, an assist, and a block. Chantae Embry finished with five points, four rebounds, one assist, and two steals, and Jiya Perry grabbed six boards. 

A LOOK AT THE OPPONENT
Wichita State
Wichita State is 8-19 overall and 4-11 in league play. The Shockers finished their non-conference slate with a 4-10 record. Wichita State enters Wednesday's matchup after a 74-48 loss to Charlotte. 

UP TO THIS POINT
SMU is 13-13 overall and 7-8 in the American. 
SMU has won four out of its last five games in Moody Coliseum and enters Wednesday's matchup after winning two of its last three. 
SMU shoots 43.6% from the field, ranking second in the American. The Mustangs .99 assist/turnover ratio, and 14.8 assists per game also rank second. 
SMU's 69.7 points per game rank fifth, and its 14.4 makes on 20.5 attempts from the charity stripe rank third in the league. The Mustangs average 8.6 steals per game (5th AAC). 
SMU's 10-6 at home. The Mustangs have won five out of their last eight, including tying the second-highest shooting percentage (62.5%) in program history and the best in Moody Coliseum versus Memphis on Feb. 3.
SMU closed out its non-conference slate with a 6-5 record and entered league play riding a three-game winning streak. 
The Mustangs started the season 3-1 for the first time since the 2013-14 season and won their third consecutive season opener with a 78-75 victory over UC Riverside. 
SMU picked up a dominating 96-47 victory over Alabama State. SMU's 96 points were the most scored during the Toyelle Wilson era.

AMERICAN AWARD WINNERS
Nov. 20- Tiara Young- Offensive Player of the Week
Dec. 18- Tiara Young- Weekly Honor Roll
Dec. 26- Amirah Abdur-Rahim- Weekly Honor Roll
Jan. 15- Tiara Young- Player of the Week 
Jan. 29- Chantae Embry- Weekly Honor Roll
Feb. 5- Chantae Embry- Weekly Honor Roll 
Feb. 20- Reagan Bradley- Weekly Honor Roll 

A WALKING BUCKET
Reigning AAC Sixth Player of the Year Tiara Young is putting together an impressive season.
Young averages 16.8 points per game and has totaled 437 points this season (5th AAC).
Young has attempted the 25th most free throws in the country (158) and scored 112 points from behind the charity stripe, ranking fourth in the league and top-45 in the nation.
Young has scored double-digit points in 22 out of the Mustangs' 26 games, including six 20+ point performances, three of which she eclipsed 30 points. 
Young was named the AAC Player of the Week for the second time this season after finishing with her first double-double of the season, including career-highs in points (38) and rebounds (15) in SMU's first conference road win at Memphis. Young is the only player in the NCAA to post 38 and 15 this season. She tied the third highest-scoring performance in SMU history and attempted the most free throws ever by a Mustang (22). Three days later, Young totaled 32 points and added six rebounds at UAB. 
Young was crowned the AAC Player of the Week on Nov. 20 after posting 24 points and earning her 1000th career point against Nicholls to start the week followed by 30 points against then-No. 5 Colorado. 
Young was named to the All-Tournament Team at the San Diego Classic after leading the Mustangs with 18 points against Toledo and 17 in the tournament finale against Harvard.
Young was named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll on Dec. 18 after turning in 29 points over two games.

BRADLEY LEAVING HER MARK
Guard Reagan Bradley returned for her fifth season on the Hilltop. 
Bradley moved to fifth on SMU's all-time assist list on Jan. 7 after tallying four assists against Rice. She rose to sixth after tying her career high with nine against Alabama State. Bradley moved to seventh on the list after passing out two against UC Riverside in the season opener.
Bradley averages 9.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4 assists (4th AAC), and 1.4 steals per game.
Bradley earned a spot on the AAC Weekly honor roll on Feb. 20 after a double-double, including 11 points and a career-high 10 assists in SMU's 64-49 win over Charlotte. She added five boards and two steals. Bradley scored 13 points, grabbed six boards, and passed out three assists in SMU's win at Tulane. 
Bradley has passed out 104 assists this season, ranking fifth in the league.
She has turned in double-digit scoring performances in 16 games this season, including 12+ in the last nine out of the last 14 games. 
Bradley has started 111 and played in 116 games at SMU.
SMU Career Assists
489 Suzanne McAnally 1989-92
481 Kendall Shead 2003-06
462 Karen Blair 1995-99
435 Brittany Gilliam 2006-10
422 Reagan Bradley 2019-24

CAREER YEAR FOR ABDUR-RAHIM
Amirah Abdur-Rahim is putting together an impressive season.
The senior forward averages 11.5 points on 53.8% shooting from the field (2nd AAC), 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game (1st AAC, 46th nationally). She's blocked 46 shots this season, which ranks atop the American and top 50 nationally. 
Abdur-Rahim has posted double-digit points 18 times this season and enters Wednesday's matchup after seven straight games in double figures. Abdur-Rahim averages 14.1 points and 7.1 boards over the last seven contests, including 21 points and a career-high five steals at UNT on Feb. 10. 
Abdur-Rahim tallied her fifth double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 boards in SMU's dominating victory over UTSA. She blocked a career-high five shots. 
Abdur-Rahim scored 10 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and passed out a career-high four assists against ECU. 
Abdur-Rahim started league play on fire, posting double-digit scoring performances in the Mustangs first three American games. 
Abdur-Rahim earned her fourth double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds to lead SMU to a 57-52 victory over Florida Atlantic. 
She scored a career-high 24 points against Rice. The senior forward grabbed seven rebounds, blocked four shots, and passed out three assists. 
Abdur-Rahim was named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll following back-to-back double-doubles to close out non-conference play. She scored 15 points and grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds against Sam Houston to start the week. She turned in her second straight double-double with 19 points in SMU's dominating victory over Air Force. She added 11 rebounds, three blocks, and a steal.

EMBRY GETTING IT DONE
Chantae Embry's been on fire after missing time due to injury. She returned to the lineup Jan. 20 at ECU and scored double figures in her first eight games back, averaging 17.6 points and 6.8 boards over that span. 
Embry averages 12.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game and shoots 76.6% from the charity stripe, ranking 11th in the league. 
Embry appeared on the American's Weekly Honor Roll in back-to-back weeks after she logged her second double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 boards at Rice. SMU finished the week defeating Memphis behind Embry's career-high 26 points, including three rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and a steal.
Embry claimed the honor the week prior after averaging 21 points and 7.5 rebounds in a pair of wins over Temple and UTSA.
Embry has scored in double figures eight out of the last nine games and 14 times total this season, along with logging 18+ points in five out of the last nine games. 
Embry started this season's campaign with a double-double, including 16 points and 12 rebounds against UC Riverside. 
Embry added 13 points, four rebounds, one steal, and an assist against Alabama State and tallied 14 points using a career-high four three-point jump shots against then-No. 5 Colorado. 
Embry scored 17 points and grabbed her 300th career rebound against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

TK MAKIN' PLAYS
Sophomore guard TK Pitts has emerged as a critical role player for the Mustangs. 
Pitts averages 5.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. 
Pitts scored double-digit points (12) for the fourth time this season last time out against ECU.  
Pitts put together one of her most complete performances of the year in SMU's win at Memphis. She finished with six points, tallied a career-high five steals, and grabbed 10 rebounds. 
Pitts closed out non-conference play with a career-high 13 points against Air Force. Pitts added a career-high two blocks and a season-high three rebounds against Sam Houston.
Pitts has grabbed five-plus rebounds in 11 contests this season, including 10+ boards three times (vs. Nicholls, vs. Arkansas- Pine Bluff, at Memphis). 

PERRY PICKING IT UP
Jiya Perry logged career-highs in points with 10 and rebounds with 7 on Feb. 18 against Charlotte. 
SMU is 5-0 when Perry scores six plus points.
Perry grabbed six rebounds against ECU, marking the second straight game with five plus rebounds. 

CHASING 1K 
Maya Chandler is one point away from reaching 1,000 career points. 
Chandler logged double digit points for the third time this season last time out against ECU. The senior guard scored 11 points using a season-high three shots from beyond the arc. 

HOME COOKING
SMU has won three out of its last four in Moody Coliseum and is 10-6 overall at home. 
The Mustangs outscore their opponents 70.4-64 in Moody Coliseum, shooting 44.4% to opponents' 38.5%.  
SMU outshoots its opponents 34.8%-27.2% from the three-point line at home. 
The Mustangs record 1.8 more assists, 1.3 more blocks, and 1.6 more steals than their foes in Moody Coliseum.
SMU shot 62.5% from the field against Memphis, marking the highest shooting percentage ever in Moody Coliseum. 
SMU held Charlotte to 49 points on 27.3% shooting, marking the third-fewest points by an opponent this season and the second-lowest shooting efficiency. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
SMU has outscored its opponents 69.7-66.9 through 26 games this season. 
SMU outshoots its opponents .436-.400, including a 30.5% clip from behind the arc. 
SMU has outrebounded its opponent in 11 games this season. 
SMU has recorded more assists than its opponent in 13 games this season. 
SMU has blocked more shots than its opponent in 14 games this season. 
SMU has outshot its opponent from the field in 17 games this season and made more three-point field goals nine times. 
SMU has scored more fast break points than its opponent in 14 games.
SMU has scored more points in the paint than its opponent in 17 games. 
SMU has tallied more bench points in eight games and second chance in 11. 
streaks and trends
SMU is 8-3 when outrebounding its opponent and 2-0 when tallying 50 plus rebounds. 
SMU is 11-2 overall and 5-2 in league play when recording more assists than its opponent and 3-0 when tallying 20 plus assists. 
SMU is 6-3 when making more three-point field goals than its opponent. 
SMU is 10-5 when blocking more shots than its opponent. 
SMU is 13-4 when outshooting its opponent. 
SMU is 11-6 when scoring more points in the paint and 10-4 when recording more fast break points than its opponent. 
SMU is 8-1 when its opponent shoots below 40% from the field, and 6-0 when its foe scores below 60.
SMU is 8-1 overall and 4-1 in league play when a Mustang turns in a double-double. 
SMU is 6-1 when four Mustangs score in double figures. 

QUARTER POLE
SMU is 10-0 when leading after the first quarter. 
SMU is 10-2; 6-1 when leading at halftime. 
SMU is 11-3; 5-2 when leading after the third quarter. 

CHASING 100
Toyelle Wilson is one win away from earning her 100th win as a head coach. Wilson reached 99 in SMU's 64-49 defeat of Charlotte. 

SHOOTING STARS
SMU has outshot its opponents in 17 games this season.
SMU is shooting 43.6% from the field, which ranks second in the American.
SMU is shooting 30.5% from the three-point line, which ranks seventh in the league.
SMU averages 14.4 makes on 20.5 free throw attempts per game (3rd AAC).
SMU shot 62.5% (30-48) from the field, tying the second-best shooting performance in program history and the best in Moody Coliseum versus Memphis on Feb. 3. 
SMU shot 50.8% (31-51) from the field to finish out non-conference play against Air Force. 
SMU shot a season-high 63.6% (7/11) from behind the arc, and 56.3% from the field against Alabama State. 
SMU shot over 50% from the field in their first two games of the season and at North Texas (27-54) on Feb. 10. 

GETTING DEFENSIVE
SMU has held seven opponents under 55 points this season. 
SMU closed its non-conference slate holding Air Force to 25% shooting, marking the lowest shooting percentage by an opponent this season.
SMU has held nine foes under 40% shooting.
SMU is 7-0 when holding opponents below 60 points, and 3-0 when foes score under 50 points.
SMU held Charlotte to 49 points on 27.3% shooting, marking the third-fewest points by an opponent this season and the second-lowest shooting efficiency. 

TAKING IT AWAY
SMU recorded more steals than its opponent in 14 games this season.
SMU tied a Moody Coliseum record with 16 steals against Alabama State on Nov. 11. 
SMU has tallied eight plus steals in 13 out of the last 17  games and 18 times total. 
SMU has record 10 plus steals in nine games. 
SMU averages 8.6 steals per game (5th AAC). 

20-20 VISION
Tiara Young owns six of the Mustangs 10 20+-point games this season, including three games where she dropped 30+ points: (20 vs. UC Riverside, 24 vs. Nicholls, 30 vs. Colorado, 22 vs. Arkansas- Pine Bluff, 38 at Memphis, at UAB, 32).
Amirah Abdur-Rahim posted a career-high 24 points on Jan. 7 against Rice and 21 at North Texas on Feb. 10. 
Chantae Embry tallied 24 points on Jan. 24 against Temple and a career-high 26 versus Memphis on Feb. 3.  

DISHING IT OUT
SMU's 14.8 assists per game rank second in the American.
SMU has recorded 20+ assists three times this season (20 vs. UC Riverside, 24 vs. Alabama State, 21 vs. Memphis).
SMU has passed out 15+ assists in 14 games this season. 

GAME FOR THE AGES
Using Tiara Young's first double-double of the season, including a career-high 38 points and 15 rebounds, SMU defeated Memphis 91-86 in double overtime on Jan. 11.
SMU was down to only four players after Tamia Jones fouled out with 56 seconds remaining. 
Tiara Young finished with 38 points, tying the third highest-scoring performance in SMU history and attempted the most free throws ever by a Mustang (24). 
SMU made 40 free throws, marking the most points from the charity stripe in program history. SMU attempted 60 free throws, marking the most attempts in program history.
There were 75 combined fouls in Thursday's contest, marking the most combined fouls in NCAA history. The record broke 70 combined fouls from Oklahoma vs. Kentucky on Nov. 28, 2014. 
Thursday's contest also marked the most fouls in SMU history with the record previously being 33 at TCU on Jan. 25, 1997.
SMU scored 91 points, marking the second most points this season.
SMU grabbed a season-high 55 rebounds.

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. 

YOUNG MAKES ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
SMU graduate guard Tiara Young was named to the All-Tournament Team at the San Diego Classic. Young led the Mustangs with 18 points against Toledo. The graduate guard grabbed four rebounds and passed out two assists. Young scored 17 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and passed out three assists in the finale of the San Diego Classic against Harvard. 

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.

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. 13 Baylor, and fifth-ranked Colorado along with a matchup with Toledo who made a run to the quarterfinals of the WNIT last season.
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