Thursday, January 4, 2024 Women's Basketball

Away	Home	Result	Location	Links
Florida Atlantic 52	SMU 57	Final	Dallas, Texas (Conf.)	Box Score

Using Amirah Abdur-Rahim's fourth double-double of the season, including 10 points and 10 rebounds, the SMU Mustangs defeated Florida Atlantic 57-52 in its home conference opener on Thursday night in Moody Coliseum.  

Tamia Jones led SMU (7-6; 1-1 American Athletic Conference) with 16 points. She grabbed four rebounds and added three assists and two steals. Reagan Bradley scored 12 points, grabbed five rebounds, passed out seven assists, and recorded four steals. Bradley scored her 800th career point and moved to fifth on SMU's all-time assists list. 

Tiara Young scored six points and grabbed seven rebounds. The graduate guard passed out two assists and finished with a block and a steal. Maya Chandler tallied six points, and a season-high three steals. Jiya Perry grabbed five rebounds and added three points and a block. TK Pitts finished with two points, two rebounds, and three assists, and Donavia Hall chipped in two points and three boards. 

SMU led 18-11 at the end of the first frame after eight points from Bradley. The Mustangs held the Owls without a field goal for over half the first quarter.

Chandler knocked down a triple to end an 8-0 run that brought the Owls within three in the second quarter. SMU took a 29-23 lead into the halftime break after holding Florida Atlantic to 21.3% from the field in the first half.

Chandler and Jones knocked down three-pointers in back-to-back possessions to get the second half underway. Pitts hit a pair of free throws, and Jones made a step back jumper after Perry took a charge on the other end to extend SMU's lead to 10. The Mustangs led by six entering the fourth.

Young knocked down a jumper to match a Florida Atlantic triple to start the final period. The Mustangs used eight unanswered highlighted by back-to-back buckets from Abdur-Rahim and a jumper from Young to take an 11-point lead with under four minutes to play. The Owls climbed within three after an 8-0 run, but Jones iced the game with a late layup.