Ayanna Thompson scores career-high 18, but SMU women’s basketball can’t overcome turnovers and Stanford’s hot shooting in ACC loss.
SMU women’s basketball got a breakout night from Ayanna Thompson, but it wasn’t enough to cool off Stanford.
In an 87-57 road loss, Thompson poured in a career-high 18 points to lead the Mustangs, continuing her steady rise in Adia Barnes’ first season at the helm.
The freshman guard shot 7-of-17 from the floor and knocked down 3-of-6 from deep, marking her sixth double-digit scoring performance of the year and her fifth game with at least three made threes.
The problem? Stanford never let SMU fully breathe.
The Cardinal blitzed the Mustangs early, jumping out to a 10-0 start and closing the first quarter on a dominant run to seize a 31-6 advantage.
That early avalanche proved too steep to climb, even as SMU showed real fight in the second quarter.
Sahnya Jah sparked the comeback attempt with 12 points on 6-of-11 shooting and a team-high six rebounds. Miriam Ibezim added nine points and five boards, helping SMU post 42 points in the paint - its highest total in ACC play this season.
The Mustangs trimmed the deficit to 21 by halftime after a 23-point second quarter, flashing the offensive rhythm they’ve been searching for.
But turnovers and efficiency told the real story. SMU committed 19 turnovers, leading to 28 Stanford points. The Cardinal shot 54 percent from the field and racked up 50 points in the paint, punishing defensive lapses and extending the lead with a 9-0 surge late in the third quarter.
Despite the loss, there were bright spots in the defensive metrics.
SMU entered the night ranked third in the ACC in steals per game (10.3) and added five more to push their season total to 292 - the program’s highest mark since 2012-13. The Mustangs have now forced 489 turnovers this season, continuing to pressure opponents at a top-six rate in the conference.
Inside, Anaya Brown and Grace Hall each added blocks, maintaining their status as one of the ACC’s top shot-blocking duos. The pair are the only teammates in the league both ranked inside the top 10 in total blocks.
Now 9-20 overall and 2-15 in ACC play, SMU closes the regular season Sunday at Cal.
For a young roster under Barnes, the record stings ... but the growth, especially from Thompson, is unmistakable.