PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — Zahra King scored a career-high 40 points to propel the SMU women’s basketball team to an 83-76 victory over Pittsburgh at Petersen Events Center on Sunday. The Mustangs guard from Brooklyn, New York, added three rebounds and three assists in 38 minutes. Her performance powered SMU, which improved to 8-11 overall. Anaya Brown contributed 20 points for the Mustangs. Fatima Diakhate recorded 16 points and 15 rebounds for the Panthers, who fell to 8-12. Mikayla Johnson also scored 20 points for Pittsburgh. SMU capitalized on turnovers, scoring 27 points off them compared to Pittsburgh’s 15, which proved decisive despite the Panthers’ 42-28 advantage in points in the paint. The win came as a mild upset, with statistical models favoring Pittsburgh.

PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — Zahra King erupted for a career-high 40 points, spearheading a critical second-half surge that propelled the SMU Mustangs to an 83-76 victory over the Pittsburgh Panthers in an Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball game Sunday at Petersen Events Center. The Mustangs, who snapped a three-game losing streak, improved to 8-11 overall. Pittsburgh fell to 8-12. King, a 5-foot-10 guard from Brooklyn, New York, was the dominant force, scoring 27 of her points after halftime. Her performance was a stark departure from her recent outings, where she was held to 10 and 22 points in consecutive losses. She shot 12 of 28 from the field, including 5 of 13 from three-point range, and added 11 of 14 from the free-throw line. She also contributed three rebounds, three assists and four steals in 38 minutes. The game’s most important sequence unfolded in the third quarter. Trailing 47-42, SMU unleashed a decisive 17-2 run over a five-minute span to seize control. King was the catalyst, scoring 11 points during the burst, including a trio of three-pointers. Her third triple of the run, assisted by Anaya Brown, gave the Mustangs a 59-49 lead with 3:30 remaining in the period, their first double-digit advantage of the afternoon. Pittsburgh, which led 42-38 at halftime, had no answer for King’s offensive explosion. The Panthers were plagued by 18 turnovers, which SMU converted into 27 points. The Mustangs’ defensive pressure was relentless, tallying 13 steals. Despite the loss, Pittsburgh received a monumental performance from center Fatima Diakhate. The 6-foot-5 sophomore from Dakar, Senegal, recorded a towering double-double with 16 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Mikayla Johnson added 20 points and six rebounds for the Panthers, while Theresa Hagans scored 16 points and dished out five assists. SMU’s supporting cast was pivotal. Anaya Brown, a 6-foot-1 forward from Lexington, Kentucky, scored 20 points and provided three assists and two blocks. Grace Hall added 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench. The Panthers dominated inside, outscoring SMU 42-28 in the paint and shooting a higher percentage from the field (46.7% to 41.5%). However, SMU’s perimeter shooting and ability to force mistakes proved the difference. The Mustangs made 10 three-pointers to Pittsburgh’s six and attempted 28 free throws to the Panthers’ 17. Pittsburgh made a late push in the frantic final minutes, closing to within 74-71 on a pair of Hagans free throws with 54 seconds left. But King and Hall sealed the game at the foul line, combining to make five of six free throws in the closing 37 seconds to secure the road victory for SMU. The win provided a bright spot for an SMU team that had struggled in early ACC play, while Pittsburgh’s search for consistency continued in a game where National Statistical’s ELO system had favored them to win. SMU next hosts Florida State on Thursday. Pittsburgh travels to face Virginia on the same night. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in Dallas on Feb. 15.

Preview: SMU Mustangs at Pittsburgh Panthers PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — Two teams seeking to halt extended slides will meet Sunday when the Pittsburgh Panthers host the SMU Mustangs in an Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball matchup at Petersen Events Center. Both squads enter on significant losing streaks. The visiting Mustangs (7-11) have dropped five consecutive games, most recently a 79-42 home loss to Virginia Tech on Thursday. The Panthers (8-11) have lost four of their last five, including a narrow 69-65 defeat to Florida State on Thursday. The game presents a critical opportunity for either team to gain traction in conference play. Pittsburgh holds a slight edge in the overall season record, but both have struggled against ACC competition. A key matchup will feature SMU guard Anaya Brown against Pittsburgh’s defensive anchor, Fatima Diakhate. Brown is coming off a season-high 22-point performance in 37 minutes against the Hokies, emerging as the Mustangs’ primary offensive threat. Containing her will likely fall to Diakhate, the Panthers’ standout forward who blocked five shots against Florida State and averages nearly two blocks per game. For Pittsburgh, offensive consistency remains an issue. Mikayla Johnson (19 points vs. FSU) and Carla Viegas (15 points vs. FSU) provided scoring punch last game, but the Panthers have been held under 70 points in 10 of their 11 losses. SMU’s challenges are more pronounced, having failed to reach 60 points in four of their five recent losses. Beyond Brown, support scoring has been sporadic. Zahra King added 10 points in the Virginia Tech loss. Historically, this is a developing conference rivalry, with the rematch scheduled for Feb. 15 in Dallas. Sunday’s contest offers the first chance this season for either team to secure a league win and build momentum before a difficult stretch of ACC play. Tip-off is set for Sunday afternoon. Pittsburgh will travel to Virginia on Thursday, while SMU will host Florida State on Jan. 22.