Nov. 22, 2002

Final Stats

Dallas, Texas - With both teams suffering from season opener jitters, the SMU women's basketball team managed to overcome a sloppy game to earn a convincing 66-39 victory over Stony Brook in the first round of the Hoops for the Cure Classic in Dallas, Texas.

The two teams combined for 28 turnovers in the first half alone, and the Seawolves struggled from the field, connecting on just 5-of-27 (19 percent) shots in the first stanza. However, Stony Brook kept the game close until a 13-3 Mustangs run gave SMU its first double-digit lead at 24-14 with almost five minutes remaining until halftime. The lead swelled to as many as 16 before SMU settled for a 33-19 halftime advantage.

It didn't get much better for Stony Brook in the second half, with the Seawolves collecting just eight field goals (8-of-26, 31 percent). Meanwhile, the Mustangs held Stony Brook scoreless for five minutes midway through the half, extending their lead to 56-30 with 5:52 remaining. SMU's largest lead of the night was 29, which came with 3:36 left in the game.

SMU forced the Seawolves into 29 turnovers, but the Mustangs committed 24 miscues of their own. SMU also outrebounded Stony Brook, 48-34.

Senior Malica Jibowu and junior Akia Booker led the way for Stony Brook as each scored nine points. Booker was tenacious on the defensive end, recording seven steals, while Jibowu led the Seawolves on the boards with nine rebounds.

For the Mustangs, it was Kim Walter leading all scorers with 13 points while Shanta Ramdhanny chipped in with 11. Kaci Alexander added a game-high 10 boards.

Stony Brook (0-1) will take on La Salle in Saturday's consolation game at 5 p.m. central time. SMU (1-0) faces Wake Forest in the championship.