Pirates Drop Road AAC Contest at SMU

Dallas, Texas – The ECU women's basketball team (9-9, 1-4) fell on the road to SMU (7-10, 1-3) 65-51 in an American Athletic Conference clash at Moody Coliseum in Dallas, Texas.

Freshman Ariyana Williams got the Pirates off to a hot start, scoring the first eight points of the game for ECU. The Pirates would then hold the Mustangs without a point for the final 2:30 of the first quarter giving the purple and gold a 16-13 heading into the second quarter.

The Pirates would cut the SMU lead to 10 in the final quarter and scored a game-high 18 points in the quarter. The late surge would be negated by the Mustangs, converting on eight free throws to seal the victory.

Senior Mickayla Sanders finished with her second-best scoring output of the season with 11 points. Sanders and the rest of the ECU bench would combine for 23 total points from bench players.

SMU was led by senior McKenzie Adams who finished with a team-high 18 points. Dai’ja Thomas added 15 points and an SMU record-tying 22 rebounds. Kiara Perry notched 14 points as the Mustang’s third player to record double digits.

The Pirates now lead the series 9-8, while Macy holds a 6-4 all-time record against SMU.

Team Records

ECU (9-9, 1-4), SMU (7-10, 1-3)

Post-game Comments

Macy's opening statement

"When you’re on the road and you don’t do a great job on the glass, and then you foul and they’re shooting forty-two free throws, you’re not going to win very many road games. Those two stats are the biggest things that stand out to me right now.”

Macy on Mickayla Sanders

“Well we needed that experience, I thought she did a nice job at hitting some shots especially in that second quarter when we were really struggling from the field.”

News and Notes

• Two Pirates scored in double-figures (Williams 19, Sanders 11).

• SMU had three players score in double-figures.

• ECU leads the all-time series 9-8.

• Coach Macy is 6-4 all-time against the Mustangs.

• The two teams will meet one more time during the regular season on Feb. 3 in Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.

Up Next

ECU will have nearly a week off before returning home to face Houston next Saturday, Jan. 20, at 5 p.m. from Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.