The SMU women’s basketball team fell to the No. 1 team in Conference USA last night.
The University of Texas-El Paso defeated the Mustangs 69-64 in overtime. Coming into the game, UTEP posted a perfect 6-0 C-USA record, and were 15-2 overall to put them in the AP No. 29 spot in the NCAA.
Explaining the frustration of losing a second consecutive game at home, head coach Rhonda Rompola said, “We’re seeing the back of everyone’s jersey right now. We’re playing catch up. You have to perform better on your own floor.”
The Miners remain the only team to be undefeated in the conference, while improving to a 12-game and school record setting winning streak after traveling to Moody Coliseum.
Sophomore Jillian Samuels opened the game for the Mustangs with a three-pointer one minute into the game. It gave SMU a short advantage that allowed the Mustangs to slowly climb into the lead.
Taking the lead for the remainder of the half, the Mustangs held UTEP to only 29 points in the first half, the Miners’ lowest point total since defeating New Mexico on Dec. 30.
The Mustangs had their largest lead of the first half, six points, with eight minutes left. The half ended with SMU leading 32-29.
Struggling with rebounds, the Mustangs hit only 39.5 percent of their field goals and went one for seven in threes.
The Mustangs managed to keep their lead in the first couple minutes in the second half, but eventually fell to the Miners, giving them a four point lead with 13:36 left.
Hitting two back-to-back rebounds with just under eight minutes left, Dodds put the Mustangs back in the lead at 49-46. Matching each other point for point, the Miners and Mustangs battled in a tie-game situation in the final five minutes, until regulation ended with the score locked at 59-59.
With one minute left and the Mustangs down 55-59, Brittany Gilliam hit two from the line, closing UTEP’s lead to 59-57. A missed shot by the Miners with 30 seconds left put the ball in SMU’s hands, but nothing was gained.
With 10 seconds left, SMU put the ball back into play. The Mustangs quickly called a timeout with 1.2 seconds left, the score still tied at 59-59. With the score still tied at 59-59, Shepherd took a shot from halfcourt, but fell short, causing the game to go into overtime.
The game was scoreless in the first minute, until UTEP’s Izabela Piekarska hit a layup to put the Miners up 61-59. Followed by a two trips to the line from Gilliam, the Mustangs continued to trail behind at 64-67 with 24.6 seconds left.
“We knew in the overtime period the way UTEP defend us in the paint,” said Rompola. “We would have to hit outside shots.”
A final break to the basket by UTEP sealed the game for the Miners, giving them a 69-64 victory over SMU.
“Obviously we have to learn how to finish games. That’s the bottom line,” said Rompola.
Senior post Janielle Dodds had the team and game-high point total with 22 points.
“I had 22 points, but I didn’t play perfectly; it didn’t help us win,” explained Dodds. “I could have done more offensively and defensively.”
Sophomore forward Delisha Wills scored in double digits for the 12th time this season. Along with 15 points, she also had 12 rebounds.
The Mustangs closed out the game shooting 68.8 percent from the line, while falling from the first half to 33.8 percent in field goals and rising slightly to 15.8 percent in threes. Hitting two threes in the game, Samuels fell one three pointer short of recording her sixth game to hit at least three three pointers. SMU’s bench added 38 points, with Gilliam leading the pack with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
“We worked so much on special situations in practice. It’s a mental thing; you have to be aggressive. I don’t feel like anyone wanted the ball at the end,” Rompola said.
The Mustangs fell to 4-3 in the Conference, and 14-6 overall, while the Miners improved to 7-0 in C-USA play, and 16-2 overall. UTEP will travel to Tulsa on Saturday in hopes of continuing on with their undefeated quest.
“Every single player on the team knows we’re better than what our record is showing,” said Dodds. “We know we can turn it around, and there’s plenty of time to turn it around.”
The Mustangs will host the C-USA defending champions Saturday in Moody Coliseum at 2 p.m. Tulane is currently 1-6 in the conference and 11-9 overall after falling to Tulsa on Thursday night on the road. Saturday’s game will be the Mustang’s last home game before departing for a two-game road series.
