The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

The Daily Campus

The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

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Mustangs go for lucky number 7

At 6-1 on the season, SMU hosts in-state rival TCU in hopes of establishing new winning streak
SMU guard Brittany Gilliam takes a shot against Arkansas during a game on November 18 at Moody Coliseum.
MICHAEL DANSER/The Daily Campus
SMU guard Brittany Gilliam takes a shot against Arkansas during a game on November 18 at Moody Coliseum.

SMU guard Brittany Gilliam takes a shot against Arkansas during a game on November 18 at Moody Coliseum. (MICHAEL DANSER/The Daily Campus)

The SMU women’s basketball team will tip off against its cross-town rival, the TCU Horned Frogs, tonight in Moody Coliseum at 7.

“It’s a team that we throw out our records. … This game depends on who brings their game. I don’t think either team is favored,” Mustang head coach Rhonda Rompola said.

This will be the 54th time the two teams have competed since 1977. The Mustangs hold a strong edge in the rivalry, 40-13.

The Mustangs have won the previous two games between the teams, but this year TCU is considered to be an excellent shooting team with height in their favor over SMU.

The Mustangs will need to capitalize on outside shooting opportunities and will rely especially on the talent of junior Haley Day, who is shooting 47.6 percent from three-point range this season.

When comparing SMU and TCU, the two teams have very similar statistics thus far. SMU is currently 6-1 and TCU is 5-3. The Mustangs only loss this season was last month against Boston College. SMU has a scoring average of 75.4, while TCU has an average of 73.0 points.

According to Rompola, SMU has found success this season in their starting five players, and they hope to see some intensity from the players coming off the bench.

Rompola has also recently put more pressure on Raquel Christian to become more aggressive and “find her shot.”

Sophomore Christine Elliot remains the Mustangs’ top shooter with 101 points, while senior Brittany Gilliam, who has seen the most playing time this season with 213 minutes, has 98 points this season.

“She just needs to be more intense and take her game to the next level,” Rompola said.

With such a storied rivalry between the two teams, the SMU versus TCU game will be intense and heated.

While this game has no trophy for the winner like the Iron Skillet and the Iron Spike, the match will still be just as important for both teams and schools.

Prior to losing to Boston College, the Mustangs were riding a six-game winning streak. With just one loss, SMU continued to receive votes in the ESPN/ USA Today poll, as they received six votes as of Dec. 7

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