The SMU women’s basketball team faces what head coach Rhonda Rompola is calling “the team’s toughest road trip yet.” Coming off a two-game winning streak in Moody Coliseum, the Mustangs travel to Greensboro, N.C., to take on 6-9 East Carolina tonight before continuing on to Huntington, W.Va., against the 10-6 Marshall Thundering Herd on Jan. 20.

“We’re coming off two of the best games we’ve played all year,” said Rompola. “Our game plan is to try and bottle up what we did this weekend and take it on the road.” The Mustangs defeated Southern Miss in Rompola’s 300th career win, improving the team to 12-4 overall, and 2-1 in Conference USA on Sunday night.

Going into tonight’s game against East Carolina, SMU’s main focus is improving its defense and being more aggressive with the ball. “I felt like we were giving up penetration, I don’t feel like we were defending on the ball the past two games,” explained Rompola. “We’re better when we’re aggressive and running the ball. The girls have to figure out how to be just as aggressive when they are away from Moody.”

In what will be East Carolina’s first home game in over a month, SMU is looking to their bench to help gain, and hold, a lead. East Carolina hopes to secure their first conference win after falling 69-50 against Memphis, and will try and break their four-game losing streak.

SMU will continue on to Marshall with the same game plan that relies on the combined play of senior post Janielle Dodds and sophomore forward Delisha Wills. The Mustangs rely on the two to put points on the board. “They complement each other well and play together well,” explained Rompola. “Janielle does a great job of finding Delisha, and Delisha does a great job of taking the pressure of Janielle.”

Along with the help of SMU’s leading scorers, the team is looking to sophomore forward Brittany Gilliam and sophomore post Alice Severin to produce for the Mustangs’ bench. Rompola hopes that by implementing a new zone along with a halfcourt trap, the team will develop a more aggressive style of play and give them the confidence they need to win on the road. In the Mustangs’ victory against Southern Miss, SMU’s bench added only 20 points. Marshall will host Tulsa prior to the Mustangs, and try to get back on track of their previous five-game winning streak.

SMU will return to Moody Coliseum on Jan. 26 to host the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.