Box Score
DALLAS (SMU) – Behind a 22-point performance from Sahnya Jah and a double-double from Tyi Skinner, the SMU women's basketball program defeated Arkansas 78-63 on Thursday inside Moody Coliseum as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge.

SMU (4-5, 0-0 ACC) used a dominant second quarter, outscoring Arkansas (7-3, 0-0 SEC) 25-16 to grab control of the game early. It was a shootout in the third quarter as both teams combined to score 50 points, but it was SMU who held on and closed out the game with an 18-11 fourth quarter, spearheaded by Jah, to seal the victory.

The Mustangs held Arkansas to just 28.9% from the field en route to their third consecutive victory. SMU shot 47.8% from the floor in the game and over 50% in the second and third quarters. The Mustangs tallied 50 points in the paint and a season high 38 bench points. The team scored 20 points off turnovers to Arkansas' 10, while also blocking eight shots and recording 10 steals.

Facilitating the offense all night long was Tyi Skinner, who ended the game with 17 points and a career high 10 assists, her second career double-double. Skinner is now the fourth Mustang in school history to record a double-double by way of points and assists. Skinner was 6-of-13 from the field and a perfect 3-of-3 from the line.

Sahnya Jah had a birthday to remember, tying her career high with 22 points on 10-of-19 shooting. Jah also finished the night with seven rebounds and a plus/minus of +29. It was her second career 20-point performance and her first this season.

Paulina Paris delivered down the stretch as she scored seven of her 13 points in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Kyla Deck finished with four steals and six points, her fifth game this season recording four or more steals.

Miriam Ibezim ended the game with 10 rebounds, her third double-digit rebounding performance this season and had six points.

The Mustang defense was on fire to start the game as Arkansas was 4-23 (17.4%) from the floor in the first quarter, allowing SMU to hold a one-point advantage at the end of the period.

SMU came out swinging in the second quarter with a 7-0 run. Arkansas answered with a 9-0 run, but the Mustangs did not give in and closed the half on a 13-2 run, highlighted by a Skinner buzzer-beater three-pointer to send the Mustangs into the locker room up double-digits.

Both teams poured on the points in the third quarter as Skinner and Deck each scored six. After SMU pushed its lead to 13, the Razorbacks went on a 12-2 run and cut the lead to four. Again, the Mustangs didn't fold under pressure and increased the lead to nine after a 6-0 run late in the quarter.

In the fourth the Mustangs had an answered for every Arkansas bucket as the lead never dipped below double digits in the period.  The Mustangs outscored the Razorbacks 18-11 to ice the game and walk away with the win.
 
// UP NEXT
The Mustangs will begin conference action hosting Syracuse in the teams ACC opener on Sunday, December 7, at 2 pm on ACCNX. The game will be the third of a four-game homestand for the Mustangs as SMU will close out the homestand facing Coppin State on December 10. 

// OTHER NOTES

• In her first season at SMU, head coach Adia Barnes is now 4-5 and 173-119 overall in her career (10^th season)
• SMU is now 3-2 in home games this season.

// STEALS / TURNOVERS

• SMU ended the game with 10 steals.
  • It was the Mustangs' 7^th game this season with double-digit steals
  • SMU entered the game ranked 4th in the ACC in steals per game (12.0)
    • Kyla Deck had four steals and now has 33 steals this season. She entered the game 3^rd in the ACC/17^th in the NCAA  in steals per game (3.86) and 3^rd in the ACC / 12^th in the NCAA in total steals.
• SMU forced 17 turnovers.
  • SMU has now forced 153 turnovers this season
    • Entered the game 5^th in the ACC in turnovers forced per game (19.38).

// BLOCKS

• SMU had 8 blocks
  • Anaya Brown and Kyla Deck led SMU with two.
  • Anaya Brown had entered the game 4^th in the ACC in blocks per game (1.63)
  • Mustangs entered the game 5^th in ACC / 38^th in the NCAA in blocked shots per game (4.9).

 
// OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS

• SMU had 10 offensive rebounds
  • Miriam Ibezim had 5 offensive rebounds, entered the game 3^rd in the ACC / 29^th in the NCAA in offensive rebounds per game.
  • SMU entered the game 3^rd in the ACC / 41^st  in the ACC in offensive rebounds per game (15.3)

// EFFICIENT OFFENSE

• SMU shot 47.8% from the field
  • Zahra King was 4-9 (44%) shooting. Entered the game 6^th in the ACC in field goal percentage (56.1%).

// BENCH POINTS

• SMU had 38 bench points
  • It is now the fourth time this season SMU had 30 or more bench points.
  • Entered the game 5^th in the ACC in bench points (27.5).