BOX SCORE
HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS (SMU) – The SMU women's basketball team survived a fourth-quarter comeback against Sam Houston State and defeated the Bearkats 73-69 in Huntsville on Friday.

The Mustangs (6-6, 0-1 ACC) led by 13 at the end of the third but found themselves in a tie game with just under four to play. Jzaniya Harriel, who scored nine points in the fourth quarter, ended an 11-2 run by Sam Houston (5-4, 0-0 CUSA) with a big-time bucket to reclaim the lead for the Mustangs. Timely buckets down the stretch from Kyla Deck and Miriam Ibezim kept the Mustangs at arm's reach as the team held on for the victory.

The Mustangs had an efficient night shooting the ball, ending the game at 46.4% from the field and 15-of-20 from the line. SMU was 8-10 from the stripe in the fourth to ice the game. The Mustangs forced 15 turnovers and scored 20 points off of them. SMU also held the advantage on the boards, out-rebounding the Bearkats 45-38 to claim its road win of the season.

Paulina Paris led the way for the Mustangs, scoring a game-high 18 points. Paris scored 16 points in the first half, shooting 7-of-9 from the field in the first half. Paris knocked down two threes, had three assists and tied her career high, grabbing eight rebounds.

Harriel was huge down the stretch, scoring nine of her season-high 16 points in the fourth quarter. Harriel shot on effectively 6-of-9 from the floor and was 3-of-4 from the line.

Kyla Deck scored her 1,000th career point at the end of the third quarter and finished the game with 14 points. Deck made two three-pointers, including a clutch three-pointer in the fourth quarter, to help seal the win for SMU. Deck scored her 1,000th point on a mid-range jumper in the final minutes of the third.

Sahnya Jah had a team-high three assists and scored eight points, while Zahra King also added eight, shooting 3-of-4 from the field.

After SHSU used a 13-2 run at the start of the fourth quarter to get within one, erasing a 13-point SMU lead. A tough layup from Harriel put a stop to the run, but Sam Houston drained a three on the following possession to tie the game.

A second-chance jumper from Harriel and a deep three-pointer from Deck pushed the lead back to five for the Mustangs. After trading buckets, a pair of free throws from Deck increased the lead to seven with 1:12 left in the game.

Sam Houston cut the lead to four but Harriel stepped up and made two foul shots to ice the game for the Mustangs.

// UP NEXT
The Mustangs close out their non-conference slate by facing Southern on Sunday, December 21, inside Moody Coliseum. The game will tip off at 4 pm CT and air on ACCNX. Fans can also listen to the game on the SMU Mobile App. The game is the second off a double header inside Moody, as the SMU Men's Basketball team will face Central Arkansas at 1 p.m.

// OTHER NOTES

• In her first season at SMU, head coach Adia Barnes is now 6-6 and 175-120 overall in her career (10^th season)

// STEALS / TURNOVERS

• SMU ended the game with 9 steals.
  • SMU entered the game ranked 3^rd in the ACC in steals per game (11.3)
  • It was the Mustangs' eighth game this season with 10 or more steals
• SMU forced 15 turnovers
  • SMU has now forced 226 turnovers this season
    • Entered the game 5^th in the ACC in turnovers forced per game (19.2).

// BLOCKS

• SMU had 6 blocks
  • Anaya Brown had 1 and entered the game 7^th in the ACC in blocks per game (1.5). She has totaled 18 blocks this season, entered the game ranked 8^th in the ACC in total blocks.
  • SMU has now recorded 61 blocks this season. Mustangs entered the game 5^th in ACC / 30^th in the NCAA in blocked shots per game (5.0).

// OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS

• SMU had 14 offensive rebounds
  • SMU entered the game 5^th in the ACC in offensive rebounds per game (14.2)

// BENCH POINTS

• SMU had 18 bench points
  • Entered the game 5^th in the ACC in bench points (27.5).

// STARTERS  
Starters: Paulina Paris (#23, G, Sr.), Zahra King (#2, G, So.), Kyla Deck (12, G, Sr.), Miriam Ibezim (#33, G, R-Sr.) Sahnya Jah (#11, F, Jr.)