SMU (1-4) vs Saint Louis (1-5) 2025 MUSIC CITY CLASSIC
Trevecca Trojan Fieldhouse– Nashville, Tenn.
Tuesday, November 25, 2025 – 1:15 p.m. CT
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SMU Radio:  SMU Mobile App | The Varsity Network 
Gameday Central | Live Stats | Music City Classic
SMU Notes | Saint Louis | ACC
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SMU (1-4) vs Winthrop (3-3) 2025 MUSIC CITY CLASSIC
Trevecca Trojan Fieldhouse– Nashville, Tenn.
Wednesday, November 26, 2025 – 3:30 p.m. CT
TV: BallerTV | BallerTV
TV: ACCNX | Get ACC Network
SMU Radio:  SMU Mobile App | The Varsity Network 
Gameday Central | Live Stats | Music City Classic
SMU Notes | Winthrop | ACC
SMU Basketball Yearbook | SMU Digital Game Program
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DALLAS (SMU) – The SMU women's basketball team continues its 50^th season in program history by traveling to Nashville, Tennessee, to face both Saint Louis and Winthrop on November 25 and 26 in the Music City Classic.

The Mustangs start their Thanksgiving Week slate against Saint Louis, with tipoff scheduled for Tuesday at 1:15 p.m. Then SMU will return to the Trevecca Trojan Fieldhouse on Wednesday to play Winthrop at 3:30 p.m. Both games will be streamed on BallerTV, and fans can also listen to the games on the Varsity Network on the SMU Mobile App. More information on the Music City Classic can be found here.

SMU will look to end a four-game losing streak after falling short against North Texas last time out. It was the Mustangs' second loss of three points or less this season.  

Five games into the season, the Mustangs have three players averaging over nine points per game: Zahra King (12.4), Tyi Skinner (10.3) and Kyla Deck (9.2).

King leads SMU in points scored with 62 total points and is coming off scoring a career high of 19 at Grand Canyon. She has scored in double figures in three of the team's five games this season while shooting a team-high 52% from the field. She also leads SMU in three pointers made with seven.

SMU's defense has been causing havoc for other teams this season as the Mustangs rank second in the ACC / 36^th in the NCAA in steals per game at 12.6. SMU also ranks fourth in the ACC / 37th in the NCAA in blocks per game (5.2), fourth in the conference in three-point defense (26.7%), and fifth in the ACC in turnovers forced per game (20.2).

On offense, SMU ranks fourth in the ACC in offensive rebounds per game (15.8) and third in the ACC in bench points per game (30.2.) Miriam Ibezim recorded a career high 14 rebounds against North Texas (7 defensive, 7 offensive). She currently ranks 20^th in the NCAA / third in the ACC in offensive rebounds per game at 4.2.

Kyla Deck has made quite an impact on both sides of the court to start the season. Not only is she third on the team in points per game, but she also leads SMU in total assists with 14.
Deck is third in the ACC in total steals with 19 (27^th in the NCAA) and second in steals per game at 3.8 (19^th in the NCAA).

SMU has recorded double-digit steals in four of its five games this season, including recording 13 against North Texas and a season high of 16 at Grand Canyon. It was the most steals in a game since the team recorded 18 against Western Michigan last season.

The Mustangs also forced 23 turnovers against UNT, the fourth time this season they have forced 20 or more. SMU only had five games of 20 or more last season. 

SMU is 1-4 under head coach  Adia Barnes. Barnes, a former WBCA Coach of the Year Finalist and Naismith Coach of the Year Semifinalist, was named Head Women's Basketball Coach at SMU on April 5.

As SMU enters year two in the ACC, it will do so with an entirely new roster and coaching staff, signing 15 new players ahead of the 2025-26 season. Of the 15, eight players transferred in from a Power 4 institution. The Mustangs will also be one of the more experienced teams in the nation, having added eight seniors/graduate students to the roster this season.

// THE MATCH UP

• The Mustangs will face both Saint Louis and Winthrop for the first time in program history. It is also the first time SMU has competed in the Music City Classic.
• Saint Louis enters the tournament with a record of 1-5 and has lost its last three games, while Winthrop is 3-3 and will play Southern Illinois on Tuesday before facing SMU.
• Last season, the Mustangs were 1-1 in neutral-site games.

 
// (ACC)OMPLISH GREATNESS

• Four ACC teams are ranked in the latest Associated Press (AP) Poll and the USA Today Coaches Poll.
• AP Poll: North Carolina (No. 14), NC State (No. 16), Louisville (No. 21) and Notre Dame (No. 24). Duke and Stanford are currently receiving votes.
• USA Today Coaches Poll: North Carolina (No. 12), NC State (No. 6), Louisville (No. 19), Notre Dame (No. 23) and Duke (No. 24).
• ACC teams have combined to register 54 victories to open the season.
• ACC teams have combined to play 10 ranked opponents this season (11 in USA Today Coaches Poll). Peer Power Four conferences have combined to play 15 ranked teams (Big 12 - 5, Big Ten - 6, SEC - 4).
• This week, ACC adds four ranked matchups to their total, with every opponent being in the top 20.
• Eight ACC teams were selected to compete in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. It marked the seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament in which eight ACC teams were selected, which ties the league record and is the most among all conferences in that span.
• A current ACC team has appeared in 17 of the last 18 Women's Final Fours, dating back to 2007.
• The ACC has sent at least one team to the Elite Eight in 23 consecutive tournaments, the longest active streak of any conference.

// OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION

• SMU has had two games with four or more players reaching double figures.
• The Mustangs had five players reach double figures in the team's win over Grambling State, a feat only achieved twice last season. SMU defeated GSU 96-70, the most points scored in a game since SMU scored 96 against Alabama State in 2023.
• Sahnya Jah led the way with 19 points (6-9 FG), Kyla Deck was next with 18 points (4-7 3pts), followed by Grace Hall with 15 points and seven rebounds, Zahra King with a career-high 14 points and four assists and Jzaniya Harriel with 10 points and a career-high seven rebounds.

// DOMINATE DEFENSE

• SMU has forced 90 turnovers this season and has forced 20 or more in four games this season.
• Against North Texas, SMU forced 23 turnovers and had 13 steals while Kyla Deck led the way with five. It was her second game with five or more steals this season.
• The Mustangs forced 24 turnovers and recorded 16 steals against GCU. Four mustangs finished with three steals in the game.
• Deck recorded six steals against Grambling State, which was tied for the most by any ACC player in their team's season-opening game. She ranks second in the ACC in total steals with 19 (26^th in the NCAA) and in steals per game at 3.8 (19^th in the NCAA). Deck has recorded 185 steals in her career.

 // IT'S A BLOCK PARTY

• SMU has totaled 26 blocks this season, the ninth most in the ACC. The team's 5.2 blocks per game ranks fourth in the conference.
• SMU had seven blocks against Grambling State, six against GCU and five versus North Texas. Anaya Brown leads the team in total blocks with 10.
• Brown has three games this season with three blocks and has totaled 19 career games with three or more. She has now totaled 145 blocks in her career. Her seven blocks this season rank second in the ACC.

// LETTING IT FLY

• SMU knocked down a season high 11 three pointers against Texas Tech. The team was 11-33 from behind the arc. The 33 attempts are tied for the second most in program history.
• The Mustangs have made 31 three-pointers this season, while Zahra King and Kyla Deck lead the team with seven made.  King is shooting 43.8% from beyond the arc this season.

// GETTING TO THE LINE

• SMU got to the line a lot against Grambling and was 28-37 from the stripe in the game. The Mustangs' 28 made free throws are the most since the team made 40 at Memphis during the 2023-24 season. SMU is averaging 28 made foul shots per game, the fifth most in the nation.
• Jah led the team, going 7-8 from the line, both career highs, and led SMU with fouls drawn with six. Anaya Brown was 5-6 (4 fouls drawn) and Zahra King was 4-5 (5 fouls drawn) from the line. Jzaniya Harriel was a perfect 4-4 from the line.

// ACTIVE CAREER LEADERS

• Tyi Skinner ranks among the highest among multiple active career leaders in NCAA Division 1.
• Skinner career rankings: 2^nd in field goal attempts (1,620), 4^th in 3-point attempts (734), 4^th in total points (1,773), 5^th in made 3-point field goals (245), 5^th in games played (124), 13^th in made free throws (359), 13^th in made field goals (583).