Mustangs Come Back For Five-Point Win Over Tulane In Home Finale
DALLAS (SMU) – The Mustangs had 10 players score in a 54-49 victory over Tulane in Moody Coliseum on Sunday. Alisha Filmore led the charge with 12 points, and Akil Simpson grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds in the win.
After Tulane (19-9, 8-7 Conference USA) opened the second half on an 8-2 run to extend its halftime lead to nine, 26-17 with 17:04 left in the game, the Mustangs (13-15, 6-9 C-USA) scored the next 10 points to take their first lead of the game, 27-26 with 13:58 left.
Raven Short scored five of her seven points during the three-minute stretch, including a fast-break layup and a free throw after she was fouled on the shot, cutting the Tulane lead in half. Danielle Blagg hit a three for Tulane’s first points in just under four minutes to take the lead back, and the Green Wave stretched the lead to five, 32-27 with 11:48 remaining.
With 9:17 on the clock in the second half, Tulane was still leading by five points, 36-31. Over the next four minutes, the Mustangs out-scored the Green Wave 12-4, taking the lead for good with 5:20 left, 43-40 on a layup and free throw by Filmore. The Mustangs stretched the lead to eight, 52-44 with 1:09 left, and held Tulane to just three field goals in eight attempts for seven points in the last four and a half minutes, and SMU forced three turnovers in the span to hold on for the win.
Filmore was 3-of-7 from the field, but hit two 3-pointers in three attempts and made four free throws for 12 points and had seven rebounds. Krystal Johnson scored eight points, and Simpson and Christine Elliott each added six.
Brittany Hardy and Kristin Askew each had three of the Mustangs’ 13 steals to lead the defensive effort. SMU forced Tulane into 18 turnovers for 19 points, while committing just 12. Hardy also had four points, four rebounds and
two assists, and Askew scored five points.
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SMU will close out the regular season at Tulsa on Thursday at 7 p.m. The Conference USA Championship starts March 7 in Memphis, Tenn.
