Feb. 8, 2011

SMU OPENS HOMESTAND AGAINST MARSHALL

Radio: KAAM 770 AM Scott Garner (Play-by-Play)

TV: Texas Time Warner (Live)

Location: Dallas (Moody Coliseum)

Live stats available on SMUMustangs.com

THE MATCHUP

The Mustangs begin a weekend homestand against Marshall Thursday night. SMU enters the contest with an 11-11 record, 4-5 in C-USA, after a 69-60 loss at Rice, while the Thundering Herd arrive in Dallas with the momentum of a 57-48 road win over Southern Miss.

Game Notes in PDF Format

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION

Marshall: The Thundering Herd ended a seven-game losing streak with a win over Southern Miss. Tynikki Crook is the second-leading scorer in the league, averaging 16.6 points per game, but Marshall is last in conference, scoring just 53.1 points per game. Crook is the only player to average at least 10 points, with Lateidra Elliott scoring 9.7 per contest. The Thundering Herd is allowing 65.5 points per game, with opponents shooting 41.6-percent.

Series History: SMU leads the overall series 5-1. The two teams have played once a year since SMU joined Conference USA in 2005 and met in the 2008 C-USA Tournament. The Mustangs won the first four meeting before Marshall took the 2009 meeting 70-63.

Last Meeting: SMU won 74-64 against Marshall on Feb. 21, 2010 in Huntington, W.V. Christine Elliott posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

LAST GAME - RICE

HOUSTON, Texas (SMU) - Christine Elliott led the Mustangs with 12 points and Raquel Christian added 10, but it wasn't enough to lift the Mustangs as SMU fell 69-60 to Rice in Tudor Fieldhouse Sunday afternoon. Freshman Mallory Singleton set season-highs with eight points and seven rebounds, and Haley Day led the Mustangs with nine rebounds, but Rice freshman Jessica Kuster was the story of the game. Kuster finished with 22 points, 17 rebounds and six blocks. SMU went on a 10-0 run to take a 42-39 lead with 11:46 to play. The run featured a pair of buckets by Krystal Johnson and Samantha Mahnesmith, the first four points of the game for both players. Brianna Hypolite ended the SMU run with a free throw with 10:50 left in the game. It was her third point of the game, but sparked a run for the Owls, led by Hypolite. When the buzzer sounded for the final media timeout of the game with 3:48 left, the Owls led 59-51. The Mustangs were unable to overcome the deficit, falling 69-60. SMU shot 34.4-percent from the field (22-of-64), while the Owls were 22-of-61 (36.1-percent). It was at the free throw line where Rice earned it scoring advantage, connecting on 22-of-28 from the line, while SMU hit 14-of-21.

STREAKS AND TRENDS

SMU is 7-3 at home this season...SMU has taken a lead into halftime 10 times this season, going 8-2 when leading at the break...The SMU bench has out-scored the opponent's bench in 10 of the last 13 games...SMU scored at least 70 points in five of the last eight games, going 4-1 in those five games...SMU reached 80 points for just the fourth time this season in the win over UTEP......Mahnesmith has scored at least 10 points in nine of the last 12 games...Akil Simpson posted her first double-double against Houston with 10 points and 10 rebounds, reaching double-figures for the third time this season.