Box Score 
DALLAS (SMU) –  The SMU women's basketball program fought hard but fell 78-69 in the team's ACC opener against Syracuse on Sunday inside Moody Coliseum.

SMU (4-6, 0-1 ACC) was in a hole early, trailing by as much as 19 in the first quarter, but never quit scoring 20 or more points in the last two periods, cutting the lead to single digits in the fourth quarter, but ran out of time to complete the comeback. Syracuse (8-1, 1-0 ACC) had an answer every time the Mustangs were able to generate momentum.

The Mustangs outscored Syracuse 25-19 in the fourth quarter, fighting tooth and nail to get back in the game. SMU shot 42% from the field while the Orange finished at 45% from the field and did most of their damage from outside, knocking down 11 three pointers. The Mustangs were 16-of-21 from the line and scored 30 points in the paint, but it was not enough to walk away with the win.

Sahnya Jah reached 20 points for the second straight game as she tied her career high with 22 points, 13 of which came in the second half. Jah finished the game shooting 6-of-10 from the field and 9-of-14 from the line while also hauling in a season high nine rebounds.

Kyla Deck played a big role in SMU chipping away at the lead in the second half, scoring all 14 of her points. In the final two quarters, she shot 4-of-6 from the floor and was perfect from beyond the arc (2-2) and from the line (4-4). Deck also had four of SMU's nine steals in the game.

Also scoring all of her points in the second half was Zahra King, who ended the game with nine. Six of her points came in the fourth quarter. Ayanna Thompson also reached double figures, scoring 11 points, shooting 50% from the floor.

Syracuse jumped out to the early lead using a 7-0 run to start the game. The Orange pushed their lead to 19 after going on a 13-2 run late in the first quarter. Paulina Paris scored six of SMU's nine first-quarter points.

The Mustangs started the second period strong as Thompson scored seven straight points to cut into the Syracuse lead. She ended the period with nine total points, and Sahnya Jah chipped in six after back-to-back and-1's, but the Orange had an answer every time and led 39-24. Syracuse's Uche Izoje had six of her eight blocks in the half.

The offense picked up in the third as both teams continued to trade buckets and scored 20 points apiece. Deck scored seven as SMU showed no signs of giving in despite the score differential.

The Mustangs' offense clicked in the fourth quarter as the team outscored the Orange 25-19 as Deck had seven and Jah eight cutting the lead to single digits but it was not enough to overcome the first-quarter deficit as the Orange held on for the victory.
 
// UP NEXT
The Mustangs will close out a four-game homestand facing Coppin State on Wednesday, December 10, at 6:30 pm CT on ACCNX. It will be the teams fourth game in 10 days as SMU enters the game 2-1 in its last three home games. 
// OTHER NOTES

• In her first season at SMU, head coach Adia Barnes is now 4-6 and 173-120 overall in her career (10^th season)
• SMU is now 3-3 in home games this season.

// STEALS / TURNOVERS

• SMU ended the game with 9 steals.
  • SMU entered the game ranked 4th in the ACC in steals per game (11.3)
    • Kyla Deck had four steals and now has 37 steals this season. She entered the game 3^rd in the ACC/11^th in the NCAA  in steals per game (3.67) and 3^rd in the ACC / 14^th in the NCAA in total steals.
• SMU forced 15 turnovers.
  • SMU has now forced 168 turnovers this season
    • Entered the game 5^th in the ACC in turnovers forced per game (19.11).

// BLOCKS

• SMU had 3 blocks
  • Anaya Brown had entered the game 5^th in the ACC in blocks per game (1.67)
  • Mustangs entered the game 4^th in ACC / 26^th in the NCAA in blocked shots per game (5.2).

 
// POINTS IN THE PAINT
 

• SMU scored 30 points in the paint

• SMU has now scored 30 or more points in the paint in four games this season

 
// OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS

• SMU had 13 offensive rebounds
  • Sahnya Jah led SMU with five.
  • Miriam Ibezim had 2 offensive rebounds, entered the game 3^rd in the ACC / 29^th in the NCAA in offensive rebounds per game.
  • SMU entered the game 4^th in the ACC / 58^th  in the ACC in offensive rebounds per game (14.7)

// EFFICIENT OFFENSE

• SMU shot 42.1% from the field
  • Zahra King was 4-10 (40%) shooting. Entered the game 4^th in the ACC in field goal percentage (54.9%).

// BENCH POINTS

• SMU had 32 bench points
  • It is now the fifth time this season that SMU has had 30 or more bench points.
  • Entered the game 4^th in the ACC in bench points (28.7).

// STARTERS  
Starters: Tyi Skinner (#3, G, Gr.), Zahra King (#2, G, So.), Kyla Deck (12, G, Sr.), Ayanna Thompson(#1, G, Sr.) Miriam Ibezim (#33, F, Sr.)