DALLAS (SMU) – Five players scored in double digits as the SMU women's basketball program cruised to a 96-70 win over Grambling State on Tuesday in the team's season opener inside Moody Coliseum.
SMU (1-0, 0-0 ACC) began the 50th season in program history by scoring 20 or more points in all four quarters and leading by as much as 35 points as Head Coach
Adia Barnes earned her first win as a Mustang.
In front of the largest season opening crowd since the 2016-17 season, the Mustangs played fast and scored often in the game, knocking down 10 three pointers and scoring 26 fast break points while holding Grambling (0-1,0-0 SWAC) to only eight fast break points. SMU finished the game shooting 50% from the floor and had 17 assists on 28 made baskets.
Leading the way on offense was Sanyah Jah, who scored a game-high 19 points, all of which came in the second half, as she was 6-of-9 from the floor and 6-of-8 from the line. In total, SMU was 28-37 from the stripe in the game.
Kyla Deck finished her night with 18 points, knocking down four three pointers, and led SMU on defense with six steals, one shy of her career high. Deck also finished the game with four assists, tied for the most by a Mustang in the game.
Led by Deck's efforts the Mustangs forced 21 turnovers and scored 29 points off of them.
Anaya Brown had three of SMU's seven blocks as the Mustangs held the Tigers to just 33.8% from the floor and only allowed five made three pointers (GSU – 5-24 3pts).
Jzaniya Harriel also had four assists in the game and seven rebounds, while also totaling 10 points.
Grace Hall was a force on the low block, finishing with seven rebounds, 15 points, shooting 6-of-8 from the floor, and
Zahra King ended her night with a career high of 14 points, hitting two three pointers.
The Mustangs came out ready to roll, starting the game on a 9-0 run, which was followed by a 7-0 run later in the quarter as the Mustangs outscored GSU 20-9 in the opening period. King had seven points in the quarter.
SMU's lead continued to grow in the second quarter as SMU went on a 13-0 run highlighted by a Deck three-pointer and Hall and-1 finish. SMU led 46-22 at the break as Deck, King and Hall all had 10 points.
The Mustangs picked up right where they left off in the third quarter. Back-to-back three pointers capped off an 8-0 run for the Mustangs in the period. SMU made its final four field goals in the quarter, keeping the lead at 27.
Jah scored 11 of her 19 points in the fourth as the lead grew to as much as 35 points as SMU scored 28 in the final frame to reach the final score of 96-70.
The 96 points scored are the most in a game since SMU scored 96 against Alabama State in 2023.
// UP NEXT
The Mustangs return to Moody Coliseum on Saturday, November 8, hosting Kansas State at 4 p.m. on ACCNX.
//OTHER NOTES
- Attendance was 2,594, the most for a season-opening game since the 2016-17 opener against Texas State (2,617).
- Adia Barnes earned her first victory at SMU.
- She is now 1-0 at SMU and 170-114 overall in her career (10th season)
- SMU is now 4-0 all-time vs Grambling State and 3-0 all-time when the game is played in Dallas.
- Starters: Zahra King (#2, G, So.), Paulina Paris (#23, G, Sr.), Kyla Deck (12, G, Sr.) Anaya Brown (#4, F, Sr.), Grace Hall (#7, F, R-Sr.)
- SMU had 5 double-digit scorers, the first game with five in double figures since the team achieved the feat against Arkansas Pine-Bluff last season.
- SMU's 28 made free throws are the most since the team made 40 at Memphis during the 2023-24 season.
