SMU unleashes relentless pressure and game-changing defense, aiming to disrupt Pitt and capture their first ACC victory on the road.
If there’s one thing the SMU women’s basketball team refuses to do, it’s go quietly.
The Lady Mustangs head to Pittsburgh on Sunday for a noon CT tip inside the Petersen Events Center, still searching for their first ACC win but far from short on confidence, firepower, or defensive bite. The opponent, the Pitt Panthers, may own the series history, but SMU arrives believing this matchup is begging to flip.
SMU wrapped up nonconference play at 7-5, winning six straight before diving into the ACC deep end.
The record in league play hasn’t been kind yet, but the growth has been obvious. This is a team that plays fast, attacks relentlessly, and - most importantly - makes opponents uncomfortable.
Zahra King has been the steady flame. She leads SMU with 241 total points, averages 14.7 points per game in ACC action, and is doing it with jaw-dropping efficiency.
King shoots 48.7 percent from the floor, the best mark among ACC guards, and nearly 46 percent from three.
Paulina Paris has been just as dangerous lately, averaging 12 points per game in conference play and coming off a season-high 20-point outing.
Sahnya Jah and Tyi Skinner add scoring punch and pace, giving SMU five players averaging at least nine points per game. This isn’t a one-option offense - it comes at you in waves.
And then there’s the defense. Or, more accurately, the chaos.
SMU ranks third in the ACC in steals per game at 10.6 and has already forced 318 turnovers this season. Kyla Deck is the ringleader, averaging 3.7 steals per game and ranking third in the ACC in total steals.
When she’s on the floor, passing lanes feel narrower and dribbles feel riskier.
The Mustangs also protect the rim, ranking sixth in the ACC in blocks per game. This is a defense built to disrupt rhythm, flip possessions, and turn games into track meets.
Head coach Adia Barnes is still early in her SMU tenure, but the identity is already clear: pressure, depth, and fearlessness.
With an entirely new roster and eight seniors in the mix, this group doesn’t lack experience - just that elusive ACC breakthrough.
Sunday offers another chance.
SMU has dropped the first three all-time meetings with Pitt, including a painful one-point loss last season. Rivalry or not, familiarity matters - and so does urgency.
The Mustangs don’t need perfection. They need poise, pressure, and one strong closing stretch.
And if chaos travels, this could get interesting fast.