SMU Women Knock Off Miss Valley State
GARLAND, Texas (SMU) – Five Mustangs scored at least 10 points, led by Destynee Hives-McCray’s season-high 17, as the Mustangs improved to 4-0 with a 91-52 win against Mississippi Valley State Tuesday night in the Curtis Culwell Center.
Hives-McCray went 7-for-10 from the field, and Akil Simpson recorded her first double-double of the season with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Freshman Kiara Perry scored 14 points, reaching double digits in the last three games, and Keena Mays and Mallory Singleton each added 10. Singleton got to 10 with a 3-pointer with 42 seconds left in the game to put the Mustangs over the 90-point mark in regulation for the first time since a 92-75 win against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 28, 2008.
Leading by 20 to start the second half, SMU went on a 15-2 run over the first 4:24 seconds to take a 60-27 lead. The Devilettes got within 30 points just one more time, hitting a jumper with 12:44 left to make the score 65-36. The Mustangs stretched the lead to as many as 42 twice, both on baskets by Singleton, but the Devilettes hit a three with 30 seconds left to eclipse 50 points. The 39-point margin was the largest margin of victory for the Mustangs since beating San Diego State 80-36 on Dec. 22, 2004.
The Mustangs finished the game shooting 48.6 percent, while holding Mississippi Valley State (0-4) to a 34.5 shooting percentage. The Mustangs also turned 20 MVSU turnovers into 26 points, and
out-rebounded the Devilettes 49-31 for 22 second-chance points. Korina Baker and Gabrielle Wilkins each scored eight points, and all nine players scored for SMU.
SMU scored nine of the first 11 points over the first 2:20, and scored seven of their first 11 points on the fastbreak. The Mustangs converted 11 MVSU turnovers into 12 points during the first 20 minutes, and by the time the buzzer sounded for halftime, the Mustangs led 45-25.
Hives-McCray led the scoring with 10 points, and Simpson nearly had a double-double in 14 minutes with nine points and eight first-half rebounds. The Mustangs shot 51.5 percent in the first half, making 17 of 33 shots, and Mays made a pair of 3-pointers in four attempts. SMU out-rebounded the Devilettes 23-13 in the first half, and held MVSU to a 35.7 shooting percentage.
The Mustangs play at Stephen F. Austin Saturday at 6 p.m. SMU, off to its best start since going 5-0 to start the 2009-10 season, returns home to face Lamar Monday at 6 p.m.
