Women’s Basketball Suffers 63-53 Home Loss To SMU On Wednesday

Wednesday, February 14

6 p.m.

Tulane University

10-14,3-10AAC

SMU

12-12,6-7AAC

SMU

Tulane

Photo by: Parker Waters

Women’s Basketball Suffers 63-53 Home Loss To SMU On Wednesday

Feb 14, 2024 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Post-Game Interview

NEW ORLEANS – Kyren Whittington led the team in scoring for the third straight game, but the Tulane women's basketball team (10-14, 3-10 AAC) could not overcome a first quarter deficit in falling by a 63-53 score to visiting SMU (12-12, 6-7 AAC) on Wednesday evening in Devlin Fieldhouse.

Whittington played efficient basketball in shooting 6-for-7 from the field including 2-for-2 from beyond the arc in scoring her 15 points. She also had an assist and a steal. Amira Mabry totaled 10 points and four rebounds plus a pair of steals. Kaylah Rainey totaled nine points and a team-leading five assists. Hannah Pratt chipped in with seven points, three rebounds and three steals. Irina Parau picked up five points, seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks and three steals. Chiara Grattini came off the bench to score four points plus hand out four assists, record two steals and register a block. Jaylee Womack tallied three points. McKenzi Carter had two rebounds and a block.

SMU was led by 14 points from Amirah Abdul-Rahim and Chantae Embry. Reagan Bradley also reached double figures with 13 points.

Tulane's largest lead was two points early in the first quarter, 2-0. The game featured just three lead changes and two tied scores as SMU led by much of the contest. The Green Wave shot 42.9 percent from the field (21-for-49), 36.8 percent from three-point range (7-for-19) and 50 percent from the free throw line (4-for-8). The team totaled 25 rebounds, 18 assists, 12 steals and four blocks.

SMU's largest advantage was 15 points late in the fourth quarter, 62-47. The Mustangs held a 42-20 advantage in the points in the paint, 20-7 in second chance points, 9-3 in fast break points and 11-7 in points off the bench. SMU shot 45 percent from the field (27-for-80), 23.5 percent from three-point range (4-for-17) and 71.4 percent from the free throw line (5-for-7). The Mustangs totaled 37 rebounds, 14 assists and eight steals.

SMU took the early 19-10 lead after the first quarter. The Green Wave fought back and made it a four-point lead at the break, 36-32, with a 22-17 advantage in the second quarter. SMU came out strong to start the second half as they outscored Tulane 18-11 in the third period to take a 54-43 lead into the fourth. Tulane were able to outscore the Mustangs 10-9 in the fourth to make the final score 63-53 SMU.

Next, Tulane gets on the road and travels to Philadelphia to take on Temple on Monday, Feb. 19, at 6 p.m.

Notables:
The loss dropped Tulane to 26-16 all-time against SMU…The loss was the third straight for Tulane…It is the third losing streak the team has had of three or more games this season…Kyren Whittington led the team in scoring for the 11th time this season…She has scored in double figures in all six games since returning from injury…In her last three games, Whittington has totaled 64 points (21.3 points per game), while shooting 24-for-37 from the field (64.8 percent)…Amira Mabry has now scored in double figures in each of her last 10 games…Kaylah Rainey had a season-high nine points for Tulane against the Mustangs…The game was the 11th time on the season that Irina Parau has led the team in rebounding…She had seven boards in the game.

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