SMU Women Defeat ULM

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DALLAS (SMU) – Junior transfer Keena Mays scored 23 points with 11 rebounds in her first game at SMU to lead the Mustangs to a 76-56 win over Louisiana-Monroe in Moody Coliseum Monday night. By the time the first half ended, Mays, a Mansfield Timberview graduate, was out-scoring the Warhawks 15-14.

Playing in her first game since last December, Mays went 9-of-19 from the floor and 3-of-6 from behind the arc. She also had four steals, three assists and two blocks. SMU improved to 7-2 on the season, winning its last two games by more than 20 points after holding each opponent to less than 14 points in the first half.

The Mustangs held the Warhawks (2-7) scoreless from the field until the 10:45 mark of the first half, giving up just two free throws in the first nine minutes to build a 20-2 lead. SMU stretched the lead to 25, taking a 39-14 lead into the locker room at halftime. Louisiana-Monroe never got within 18 points the rest of the way as SMU cruised to its fourth win in the last five games and improved to 7-1 at home.

Destynee Hives-McCray recorded her third double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Alisha Filmore reached double-figures for the eighth time this season with 13. Freshman Farrin Bell added nine for SMU, going 4-for-6 from the field and 1-for-2 at the free throw line. Korina Baker scored six points with five assists, three steals and just one turnover.

The Mustangs shot 42.5-percent from the field as a team, making 31-of-73 shots, including 6-of-16 from behind the arc. Ranked in the top 25 in the country holding teams to less than 24 percent from 3-point range coming in to the game, SMU held the Warhawks to a 21.4 percent clip from the outside, allowing just three 3-pointers.

SMU returns to the court in less than 48 hours, facing Stephen F. Austin in Moody Coliseum on Wednesday at 7 p.m.