SMU’s Leah Starr (left) looks for an open teammate while UCF’s Randall Hurst (right) blocks. (Christina Parrish)

SMU’s women’s basketball team demolished the UCF Golden Knights 73-47 Thursday night and proved they’re in it to win. From buzzer to buzzer it was clear the women had let go of their rough start to the season.

Head Coach Rhonda Rompola began this week with a new strategy. The girls needed a wake-up call, so instead of extra running, she brought them in at 6 a.m. when necessary.

“I had to get the girls’ attention,” she said. Katy Cobb told her the morale of the team was at an all-time low.

“We were really down on ourselves and each other…this was a really good wake-up call,” she said.

With the return of three players – Janielle Dodds, Katy Cobb and Sharee Shepherd – Rompola noticed an “instant confidence” in the team. This renewed energy was evident at last night’s game.

After the jump, the Mustangs took the ball and they didn’t let it go for much of the game. In less than 10 minutes the score was 9-2 Mustangs. Two minutes later SMU took the lead by 10 points and didn’t allow anything more than a 7-point gap thereafter. They had their head in the game, making 12 fast breaks and all 19 free throws. Every time the Knights squeezed in a shot, the SMU women widened the gap less than a minute later. This was a fast-paced game.

Quick passes and strong defense didn’t only bring the score up; they boosted confidence as well. “Players who don’t usually get minutes got a lot of minutes tonight… it was a great confidence boost for us” said Cobb.

Cobb and Shephard, the two most vocal players on the team, kept communication going on the court. “With Cobb running it out, it changed our team, our energy, our confidence and the game” said Rompola. Brittany Gilliam, who along with Dodds scored 17 points, “allowed for us to have great offensive capability,” said Rompola. It is all about the effort they brought for each other. SMU locked the game in by the end of the first half with a score of 36-18.

The crowds responded with complete support. The band played its traditional tribute to Rompola, “Help Me Rhonda,” to show spirit.

Now Rompola says the team has to find a way to maintain this energy and, more importantly, take it on the road to win like they did tonight at away games.

But on Thursday, the scoreboard at the end of the game displaying the 73-45 trouncing said it all.

SMU’s Alice Severin attemps to add to SMU’s points against UCF. Women’s hoops won 73-47 in Thursday night’s game at Moody. (Christina Parrish)