SMU women’s basketball battled Boston College but faded late, falling 77-59 despite 19 points from Anaya Brown on Play4Kay night.
DALLAS - SMU women’s basketball had its chances Thursday night at Moody Coliseum. For three quarters, the Mustangs traded punches with Boston College in a tight ACC battle. But when the fourth quarter arrived, the Eagles delivered the knockout.
SMU (9-18, 2-13 ACC) dropped a 77-59 decision to Boston College (5-24, 1-15 ACC), as the visitors closed the game on a dominant run to secure their first conference win of the season.
Anaya Brown once again led the way for SMU.
The forward poured in 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting, knocked down three triples, grabbed six rebounds and added two blocks. Brown has been a steady presence all season, entering the game ranked seventh in the ACC in total blocks (34) and blocks per game (1.46), and she showed that versatility again.
Ayanna Thompson chipped in 13 points, connecting on 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, while Zahra King and Sahnya Jah each added nine. King, who came into the night shooting 45.1 percent from the field - second among ACC guards - went 3-of-6 and continued her efficient scoring stretch.
Grace Hall contributed six points, seven rebounds and three blocks as SMU totaled five rejections as a team.
The Mustangs shot 39.3 percent from the field and hit nine 3-pointers, keeping pace for much of the contest.
SMU even trimmed the deficit to one midway through the fourth quarter after a trip to the free-throw line. But Boston College answered with a decisive surge, fueled by 18 points off turnovers and a near-perfect 18-of-21 performance at the stripe.
SMU forced 10 turnovers and recorded six steals - notable for a team that entered the game third in the ACC in steals per game (10.6) and fifth in turnovers forced per contest (17.5).
The Mustangs now have 281 steals and 466 forced turnovers this season, underscoring their defensive identity under first-year head coach Adia Barnes, who sits at 9-18 in her debut campaign.
The game doubled as SMU’s Play4Kay event, with the Mustangs wearing pink to support breast cancer awareness.
SMU returns to Moody Coliseum on Sunday for Senior Night against Notre Dame, looking to close the home schedule on a high note.