Zahra King exploded for 40 points, igniting a second-half surge to secure SMU's first ACC win in a thrilling comeback victory at Pitt.
There are nights when a gym gets quiet because the home crowd is stunned. Sunday in Pittsburgh was one of those nights, and Zahra King was the reason.
SMU erased an 11-point halftime hole and stormed past Pitt 83-76, riding a volcanic second half from King that finally put a long-awaited checkmark in the ACC win column. Forty points. Seven 3s. Cold-blooded free throws when it mattered.
King didn’t ease into this one. She detonated.
After a sluggish first half that saw Pitt control tempo and momentum, SMU came out of the locker room looking like a completely different team. The Mustangs punched back with urgency, ball pressure, and a whole lot of King.
She poured in 29 points after halftime, flipping the game from frustration to full-on belief in less than 10 minutes of game time.
The third quarter was the hinge.
SMU dropped 29 points in the period, turning defense into offense and chaos into confidence. King splashed a corner three to give the Mustangs their first lead of the game, and suddenly Pitt was the team scrambling.
By the time the fourth quarter arrived, SMU had momentum and no interest in giving it back.
Pitt made a final push, trimming the lead to five late, but every run was answered. A steal by King led to a layup that felt like a gut punch.
When the Panthers closed again in the final seconds, King calmly walked to the line, buried two free throws to crack 40, and iced the game with zero drama.
Anaya Brown was massive alongside her. Brown scored 20 points, 16 of them after halftime, bullying her way through the paint and adding rim protection on the other end.
Grace Hall chipped in timely toughness - 10 points, seven rebounds, and a clutch put-back that sucked the air out of Pitt’s last stand.
This wasn’t just about offense.
SMU forced 21 turnovers, 16 in the second half, turning the game into a track meet Pitt didn’t want to run. The Mustangs finished with double-digit steals, blocks, and free-throw makes - the kind of stat cocktail that travels.
Beyond the box score, this win mattered. It was SMU’s first ACC victory under head coach Adia Barnes, a milestone moment for a program still carving out its league identity.
Sometimes seasons pivot on belief. Sunday felt like one of those nights. And when SMU needed a spark, Zahra King didn’t flick a match - she lit the whole building on fire.