DALLAS (SMU) – The SMU women's basketball program closed out its non-conference slate with a gritty 74-62 win over Southern on Sunday inside Moody Coliseum.

In a tale of two halves, SMU (7-6, 0-0 ACC) jumped out to an early double-digit lead, forcing turnovers left and right to grab control of the game. Southern (4-7, 0-0 SWAC) did not go away quietly and did everything in their power get back in the game, cutting the lead to nine in the fourth quarter, but Paulina Paris, Zahra King, and Jzaniya Harriel scored 26 combined second-half points to close out the victory for the Mustangs.

The Mustangs, who have now won five of their last six games and four of their last five home games, were dialed in from beyond the arc, knocking down nine three-pointers and shot 42% from the floor. As a team, the Mustangs also went 17-of-25 from the line and scored 30 points in the paint.

SMU forced Southern to turn over the ball 21 times and scored 23 points off them while also tying its season high with 16 steals. The Mustangs also did not allow the Jaguars to record a fast-break bucket or a scoring run larger over five points. 

SMU had four players in double figures, with Paulina Paris leading the way, scoring 18 points for the second game in a row. Paris was 3-of-5 from three-point range and 6-of-11 from the field.

Kyla Deck was the Mustangs' spark plug in the first half, scoring 13 points and recording six of her career-high seven steals. Deck was 4-of-9 from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc before exiting the game early in the third quarter with an injury.

After Deck left the game, Jzaniya Harriel and Zahra King stepped up down the stretch, especially in the fourth quarter. Harriel ended the game with 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting and led the team in assists with three, while King scored nine of her 12 points in the second half, going 5-of-10 from the floor and three steals.

Sahnya Jah and Miriam Ibezim each had six rebounds, while Jah also had six points.

The Mustangs' defense came ready to play, holding Southern to just 1-6 from the field to start the game.  SMU used an 11-1 run in the first quarter, highlighted by three-pointers from Brown and Deck to increase the lead to double-digits. Deck scored six points and Jah grabbed five rebounds in the quarter as SMU led 18-8 after one. Southern shot 18% from the floor in the first.

Offenses came alive for both teams in the second quarter. Jah sparked a 7-0 run for the Mustangs early in the second quarter with a tough and one finish that pushed the lead to 12. Southern would respond and got within five, but SMU was able to push the lead back up. Deck scored 13 points in the first half and had six steals as the Mustangs led 40-25 at the break. SMU made four of its final five field goals to end the second quarter.

Both teams traded buckets back and forth to start the third, but after Decks' injury, Southern cut the lead to 10 and looked to capitalize, but SMU stood tall as Paris late triple flipped momentum back in favor of SMU, who led by 13 heading to the fourth.

Back-to-back threes from Paris and Harriel extended the lead to 17 with just over six minutes left in the game. SU cut the lead to nine with two to go, but King scored five points in the final two minutes to ice the game for SMU. Every time Southern seemed like they were going to go on a run, SMU answered, keeping the Jaguars at arm's length.

// UP NEXT
The Mustangs begin the bulk of their ACC on the road, facing Virginia on Monday, Dec.29, in Charlottesville, Virginia. The game will begin at 6 p.m. CT and air on ACCNX.  

// OTHER NOTES

• In her first season at SMU, head coach Adia Barnes is now 7-6 and 175-120 overall in her career (10^th season)

//WINNING TIME

• SMU has now won six of its last seven games
• Mustangs are now 5-3 at home this season and 4-1 in their last five home games  

// STEALS / TURNOVERS

• SMU ended the game with 16 steals.
  • SMU entered the game ranked 3^rd in the ACC in steals per game (11.3)
  • Kyla Deck had 7 steals, bringing her season steal total to 49.
    • It was her 7^th game this season with four or more steals.
    • Entered the game 3^rd in the ACC / 12^th in the NCAA in total steals
    • Entered the game 3^rd in the ACC / 15^th in the NCAA in steals per game 3.50
  • It was the Mustangs' eighth game this season with 10 or more steals
• SMU forced 21 turnovers
  • SMU has now forced 241 turnovers this season
  • It was the 8^th game this season that SMU has forced 20 or more turnovers. The most since the 2019-20 season (12).
    • Entered the game 5^th in the ACC in turnovers forced per game (17.4).

// BLOCKS

• SMU had 6 blocks
  • SMU has now recorded 67 blocks this season. Mustangs entered the game 5^th in ACC / 28^th in the NCAA in blocked shots per game (5.1).

// FREE THROWS

• SMU was 17-25 from the line
  • SMU has now attempted over 20 foul shots in seven games this season
  • SMU has now made 15 or more in their last four games
    • Mustangs entered the game 4^th in the ACC in free throw attempts per game (18.92) and 6^th in the ACC in free throws.

// OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS

• SMU had 11 offensive rebounds
  • SMU entered the game 5^th in the ACC in offensive rebounds per game (14.2)

// BENCH POINTS

• SMU had 22 bench points
  • Entered the game 5^th in the ACC in bench points (26.8).

// POINTS IN THE PAINT

• SMU had 30 points in the paint  
  • SMU has now scored over 30 points in the paint in nine games this season.

// 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.)