While many SMU students were relaxing at home following their finals in early December, the members of the women’s basketball team were busy charging to a 12-2 record, leaving them atop the WAC standings as a new semester begins.
Beginning on Dec. 5 against the University of North Texas Mean Green, the women fired off an eight-game winning streak in which they outscored opponents by a total score of 546 to 402.
Freshman Janielle Dodds and junior Sarah Davis have each been key contributors to the womens’ success. At 6-foot-3-inches and 6-foot-2-inches, respectively, the pair has combined for 336 points and 241 rebounds, accounting for some lopsided scores in mid-December.
In Denver on Dec. 18, the team beat the University of Texas-San Antonio by 20, as Dodds poured in 23 points toward a 66-46 victory. Junior guard Kendall Shead helped out defensively with five steals in 26 minutes.
According to guard Juli Colli, Dodds has been a key part to an enhanced overall game for the Mustangs.
“Both our inside and outside game have been improved,” she said. “We didn’t have a big presence inside last year, but with Janielle, it makes it hard for other teams to guard us.”
The women returned home on Dec. 22 to host the San Diego State Aztecs in a contest that saw the Mustangs put the game away early, going into halftime with a 40-18 advantage. Led by a career-high 26 points from junior Katie Gross, the Ponies easily ran to a 80-36 win, putting their record at 9-1 heading toward Christmas Day.
The Rice Owls made a stop in Dallas on Dec. 30, only to see SMU walk away with a 77-68 victory to close out 2004.
On New Year’s Day, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane tried to start 2005 on the right foot, but host SMU improved their home record to 9-0 with a 75-60 win at Moody Coliseum. After Tulsa tied the game early in the second half, the Mustangs reeled off four consecutive three-pointers (Shead with two, followed by Gross and Shonte Roberts) and never looked back.
A visit to the West Coast on Jan. 6 saw the Ponies jump to a 68-59 victory over the Fresno St. Bulldogs, leaving the team with a 12-1 record as they traveled to Reno, Nev. last Saturday.
Against the Wolfpack, SMU dashed to an early 10-point advantage, entering halftime with a 35-29 lead. Nevada, however, went on a 15-6 run in the second half to pull even with the Ponies, 52-52, with 7:29 remaining.
After freshman Katy Cobb put SMU on top 54-52, the Wolfpack pulled away for good, fending off a late Mustang rally that saw Davis let loose a three-pointer at the buzzer that would have propelled SMU to a 65-63 win. Instead, the shot missed its target and gave Nevada the victory, 63-62.
In order to bounce back, the team has been watching opponents’ video in order to regain their winning ways.
“We’re trying to fix our idiosyncrasies,” Colli explained, “and hopefully we’re learning what we did wrong [against Nevada].”
Tomorrow, the women (12-2, 3-1 WAC) host the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine (5-5, 1-2 WAC) and try to begin another winning streak. Tip off is set for 7 p.m. in Moody Coliseum.
