SMU Women Beat Temple

DALLAS (SMU) – After drawing a foul with five seconds remaining in the game, Gabrielle Wilkins sank two free throws to lift the SMU women’s basketball team to a 69-67 comeback victory against Temple Tuesday night. Wilkins scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds en route to her third career double-double and first of the season, going 5-for-5 from the free throw line, leading the Mustangs to the win.

The Mustangs out-scored Temple in the final three quarters, 54-40, to claim a last second come-from-behind victory in Moody Coliseum, playing in front of the home crowd for the first time since Dec. 5. SMU improved to 6-7 overall and 1-1 in the American Athletic Conference, and is now 2-1 all-time at home against the Owls (8-5, 2-1 The American).

Trailing 67-62 with 2:34 remaining in the game, the Owls scored five unanswered points to tie the game at 67 with 18 seconds remaining. After Wilkins gave SMU the late lead, Temple called a timeout and advanced the ball to the 28-foot mark on its offensive end of the floor, but the SMU defense shut down the last-second threat to claim the victory.

Three Mustangs, including Wilkins who also finished with five assists and two steals, scored at least 10 points. McKenzie Adams tied Wilkins with 18 points, going 6-for-17 from the

field and 3-of-5 from beyond the 3-point arc. Stephanie Collins was two rebounds shy of a double-double, scoring 14 points with eight rebounds.

Trailing 35-19 with 7:24 remaining in the first half, SMU ended the half with a 15-0 run to cut the deficit to one, 35-34, at halftime. The Mustangs out-scored the Owls 19-8 in the second quarter. After the Mustangs cut the deficit to one at halftime, SMU bested the Owls winning the third quarter, 17-16, to tie the game at 51 apiece.

The Mustangs have a quick turnaround and travel to Tampa, Florida, to face No. 17 USF Thursday night in the Sun Dome. The game is slated to tip off at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT with coverage on the American Digital Network.