CHAPEL HILL, N.C.  (SMU) –  Zahra King led the SMU women's basketball team with 15 points as the Mustangs fell 94-42 on the road to No. 21/21 North Carolina.

Injury-plagued SMU (8-17, 1-12 ACC) fought to the end in Chapel Hill but could not match North Carolina's (21-5, 10-3 ACC) firepower as the Tar Heel made nine first-half three-pointers to jump out to the early lead before holding on for the win.

The Mustangs had a cold shooting night from the floor, but were dialed in at the foul line, going 16-of-20. SMU forced UNC to turnover the ball 20 times and recorded 13 steals. SMU has now recorded 16 games with double-digit steals, the most since the 2012-13 season (18), and 11 games with 20 or more turnovers forced, the most in a single season since the 2019-20 season (12).

North Carolina shot 57% from the floor in the game and made 12 three-pointers. UNC also controlled the paint, outrebounding the Mustangs, which allowed the Tar Heels to score 52 points in the paint.

King led SMU with 15 points, her 17^th game scoring in double-figures this season. King was a perfect 5-of-5 from the line.

After missing the last game, Sahnya Jah bounced back and scored nine points and had three steals. Ayanna Thompson led SMU with four steals and had five points. Anaya Brown also had five points and hauled in a team-high six rebounds.

The Mustangs trade baskets with the Tar Heels early, but UNC used two three-pointers to jump out to the early lead. The Tar Heels went on a 12-0 run to extend the lead to double digits. UNC was 6-8 from three-point range in the quarter.  King led SMU in points four while Thompson added three. The Mustangs trailed 28-9 at the end of the first.

King had a steal and score to start the second, looking to jump-start the SMU offense. However, UNC would respond with a 14-0 run as the lead continued to grow. Jah ended the run with back-to-back trips to the line. Jah had five points in the quarter as SMU trailed 49-18 at the break.

The Mustangs had a hard time generating consistent offense in the first, as Jah led the Mustangs with seven points, while King added six. SMU went 7-of-8 from the line in the half and recorded nine steals. UNC was dialed in from downtown, shooting 9-of-12 from beyond the arc and 66% from the floor in the half.

SMU continued to fight even though the Tar Heel opened the quarter on a 5-0 run. King responded for SMU with five straight points herself, including an and-1 finish at the rim. The Mustangs defensive pressure picked up in the third as the team forced North Carolina to turn the ball over six times in the quarter.

Both teams traded buckets to start the fourth as SMU kept trying to chip away at the Tar Heel lead. It was more of the same in the quarter as the Mustangs were never able to generate consistent scoring as the game came to a close.

// UP NEXT
The Mustangs will return to Moody Coliseum and begin a three-game homestand on Sunday, February 15, hosting Pitt at 11 a.m. CT. The game will air on ACCN and is the Mustangs annual Alumni Day game.

// OTHER NOTES

• In her first season at SMU, head coach Adia Barnes is now 8-17 and 177-131 overall in her career (10^th season).

// STEALS / TURNOVERS

• SMU ended the game with 13 steals. 
  • SMU entered the game ranked 3^rd in the ACC / 49^th in the NCAA in steals per game (10.5)
  • SMU has now totaled 265 steals this season.
    • Entered the game 3^rd in the ACC in total steals.
• SMU forced 17 turnovers
  • SMU has now forced 442 turnovers this season
    • Entered the game 6^th in the ACC in turnovers forced per game (17.1) and in 7^th in total turnovers forced.

// FREE THROWS

• SMU was 16-20 from the line
  • Mustangs entered the game ranked 9^th in the ACC in free throw attempts per game (17.5) and 11^th in the ACC in free throws made per game (11.9).

// STARTERS  
Starters:  Zahra King (#2, G, So.), Ayanna Thompson (#1, G, Sr.), Anaya Brown (4, F, Sr.), Sahnya Jah, (#11, F, Jr.), Grace Hall (#6, F, R-Sr.)