DALLAS (SMU) - The SMU women's basketball team will play its first ever home ACC basketball game on Thursday night when it hosts Stanford at 7 p.m.

It is not the first ACC game for the Mustangs, who fell by eight points at Florida State on Dec. 8. That was their last loss as they finished the calendar year on a three-game winning streak, including a win against Texas Tech in their last home game.

SMU then went to Denton where it beat hosts UNT and Chicago State on back-to-back nights going into the break.

"We won the game, they had a good holiday break, now it's on to the ACC where every game's going to be competitive," SMU head coach Toyelle Wilson said on Monday. "It's going to be a grind, it's going to be runs, it's going to be a lot. The girls were really focused during this Christmas break. I thought we had three or four great days of practice so far." 

Part of SMU's current three-game winning streak has been the play of Jessica Peterson. She had a double-double in each of the three wins, giving her seven in 13 games, tied for most in the ACC. Peterson is averaging 10.8 points and 12.2 rebounds per game this season and comes into the week with first in the ACC in rebounds per game and total rebounds.

All of that is coming off missing all but four games a season ago.

"We wanted her to be an important and vital part of our offense inside the paint, dominate in the paint," Wilson said of Peterson. "She's really, seriously grown spiritually, mentally, physically. Everything in her game, she's thriving and I'm so happy for her and her growth and her love for the game has come back where it's 10-fold. She's doing amazing. I'm excited for her growth and how she'll be challenged in the ACC and what she can prove to people that she can do."

Another key to SMU's success has been Nya Robertson. She recorded her sixth 20-point game of the season against UNT and is averaging 20.1 points per game. As the team grows and gets more comfortable with each other, Robertson is going to be able to do more than just score for the Mustangs.

"We're telling Nya, 'Pick your spots.' She's a great offensive player," Wilson said. "She has people around her that she can play with that she can distribute. I'm waiting for her to get a triple-double. I need some assists, some rebounds. The scoring is going to come, but now she has to understand as she's growing from this is that she has people around her that can score, also. It'll make her game easier where she doesn't have to do everything. She's learning that, she's growing, she's watching film, she's being very coachable. I'm excited about, now, her transitioning to the ACC and that growth."

The Mustangs have plenty more, too. Chantae Embry is the team's second-leading scorer and rebounder at 12.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, TK Pitts is a leader on and off the court and Zanai Jones has been strong over the last stretch of games.

The team as a whole is growing together. They've battled through a pair of two-game losing streaks and learned from those to pull out a late win against Texas Tech and then hold off UNT.

That's something the Mustangs can lean on as it is all ACC play from here.

"Our girls are going through different things and it's really nice to see them grow through different types of adversities and different types of things that are happening in a game," Wilson said. "Really happy for them and proud of them. This group is really, really special. They love competing in practice, they love each other, they're really connected, they have that chemistry and we're growing. We're really seeing them grow these last few games."

Every game from here on out is historic during the inaugural ACC campaign and that truly starts this week against SMU's fellow conference newcomers.

"I told the girls, this is the first team that can make history," Wilson said. "There's never going to be the first team to play in the ACC again. For me, doing that, home game on Thursday and Sunday, to be able to do that against a Stanford and a Cal, two really good teams out of the Pac-12. … Our girls have a little chip on their shoulders. They have something to prove and they want to prove something and show it to the world and to everybody on the ACC Network on Thursday."

Stanford went through a coaching change this offseason as coaching legend Tara VanDerveer retired after 45 seasons, but was followed by longtime assistant Kate Paye. 

"Stanford is going to be Stanford, they have great players," Wilson said. "Actually, they make about nine 3s a game. Third or fourth in the country in 3-point percentage, so we're going to have our hands full defending the 3-point line. I think we also bring some things to the table that we can offset their offense and their defense. I'm excited about how our girls step up to the challenge."

Meanwhile, Cal is off to its best start in recent history. The Golden Bears have as many or more wins than it had in four of the last five seasons and is just four shy of last year's win total entering the bulk of ACC play.

"(Cal head coach) Charmin (Smith's) done an unbelievable job this year," Wilson said. "I'm really good friends with her. That team is different than she's had, the best team she's had since she's been there. They can shoot the ball very well, they shoot 35-40 3s a game. They score the ball, they can defend. I'm excited, again, about that matchup, but we're worrying about Stanford right now."