SMU women down Marshall

DALLAS (SMU) – Samantha Mahnesmith was perfect from the floor and the Mustangs shot 50.0-percent as a team to defeat Marshall 62-46 Thursday night in Moody Coliseum. With the win, SMU improved to 12-11, 5-5 in Conference USA, while Marshall fell to 6-17, 2-8 C-USA.

Mahnesmith was 6-for-6, including 4-for-4 from 3-point range, to lift SMU to its first double digit victory since knocking off Tulsa 75-56 on Jan. 13. The junior guard finished with a game-high 16 points and four rebounds.

The Mustangs hit 8-of-16 shots from behind the arc and went 23-of-46 from the field, while holding Marshall to a 25.9 shooting percentage (15-of-58).

The game was tied at 10 midway through the first half before the Mustangs went on a 10-2 run; taking an eight-point lead with six minutes left in the first half. Marshall didn’t get within five points the rest of the way. SMU led by double digits for most of the second half, stretching the lead to as many as 24.

Christine Elliott scored nine points, and was one of four Mustangs with five rebounds. Freshman Raven Short scored a season-high seven points in 17 minutes. Tynikki Crook, the league’s second-leading scorer, finished with 12 points for Marshall, scoring eight in the second half.

SMU will take on Tulsa Sunday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m. in Moody Coliseum.