Clemson's second-half 3-point barrage broke open a close game, as SMU's early defensive intensity couldn't keep pace with the Tigers' hot shooting.
SMU women’s basketball showed grit early but couldn’t withstand a second-half shooting surge, falling 83-54 to Clemson on Thursday night at Littlejohn Coliseum.
The Mustangs went toe-to-toe with one of the ACC’s most explosive offenses for two quarters, but a barrage of 3-pointers after halftime flipped the game decisively in Clemson’s favor.
SMU entered the night focused on ball security and effort, and both showed up.
The Mustangs committed just nine turnovers and forced 14, turning those miscues into 20 points. That defensive activity kept them within striking distance early, especially as Zahra King and Anaya Brown carried the offense in the opening half.
King set the tone immediately, drilling a deep 3-pointer on SMU’s first possession. From there, the game settled into a back-and-forth rhythm, with Clemson leaning on its size and SMU countering with perimeter shooting and free throws.
Brown was relentless attacking the basket, drawing contact and finishing at the line, while King continued her strong scoring stretch with confident shot-making from outside.
Late in the first quarter, Clemson created some separation with a scoring run, but King answered with another timely shot from beyond the arc to keep the Mustangs close.
At the break, SMU trailed by a manageable margin at 43-31, with Brown and King combining for 25 of the team’s 31 first-half points.
The turning point came out of halftime.
Clemson, a team that lives beyond the arc, found its rhythm in a big way. The Tigers knocked down three straight 3s to open the third quarter and never looked back, stretching the lead into double digits within minutes.
SMU struggled to respond as Clemson’s shooters continued to find space, hitting eight three-pointers in the second half alone.
Brown once again flirted with a double-double, finishing with 18 points and nine rebounds while adding defensive contributions on both ends. King extended her streak of double-figure scoring games to seven with 17 points, while Sahnya Jah chipped in 10 points and Paulina Paris added seven.
Rebounding proved costly for SMU, as Clemson dominated the glass and capitalized on second-chance opportunities. Those extra possessions, combined with hot shooting, made it difficult for the Mustangs to generate sustained momentum down the stretch.
Despite the final score, SMU’s fight never disappeared. The Mustangs continued to compete through the fourth quarter, even as Clemson kept the pressure on from long range.
SMU now gets a brief reset before returning home.
The Mustangs will host Wake Forest at Moody Coliseum on Thursday, February 5, in an ACC matchup airing on ACCNX, looking to turn effort into results on their home floor.