ABILENE, Texas (Interstat) — Theresa Hagans scored a game-high 33 points, but the SMU Mustangs held off the Pittsburgh Panthers 79-78 in a women’s basketball game Sunday at Moody Coliseum. SMU led by 21 points at halftime but Pittsburgh stormed back with a 27-point third quarter. The Panthers took a late lead before SMU secured the final basket. Zahra King led the Mustangs with 23 points, while Sahnya Jah added 15 points and nine rebounds. Mikayla Johnson recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds for Pittsburgh. The Mustangs improved to 9-17 overall. The Panthers fell to 8-19.

ABILENE, Texas (Interstat) — In a game defined by a staggering individual performance and a frantic final sequence, the SMU Mustangs survived a 33-point onslaught from Pittsburgh’s Theresa Hagans to edge the Panthers 79-78 in a women’s NCAA basketball game Sunday at Moody Coliseum. The contest, a nonconference matchup organized by the Atlantic Coast Conference, saw the Mustangs improve to 9-17 overall while the Panthers fell to 8-19. SMU appeared in firm control for much of the afternoon, building a commanding 46-25 halftime lead behind efficient three-point shooting and a disruptive defense that forced 10 first-half Pittsburgh turnovers. The Mustangs connected on 7 of 13 attempts from beyond the arc in the opening twenty minutes, with Zahra King and Ayanna Thompson providing the primary firepower. Pittsburgh, however, staged a dramatic and sustained comeback after the break. The Panthers exploded for 27 points in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 65-60 heading into the final period. The surge was almost single-handedly engineered by Hagans, a junior guard from Utica, New York. After scoring just seven points in the first half, she ignited for 26 second-half points, repeatedly attacking the rim and drawing fouls. The Panthers completed their comeback and took their first lead since the opening minutes when a Megan Hollingsworth three-pointer gave them a 71-70 advantage with just over three minutes remaining. The teams then traded blows in a tense finale. The most critical sequence unfolded in the final 15 seconds. With SMU clinging to a 77-76 lead, King was fouled and sent to the line. She made the first free throw but missed the second, leaving the door open for Pittsburgh. Hagans seized the moment, driving for a layup with 16 seconds left to tie the game at 78. On the ensuing possession, SMU’s King was fouled again with 15 seconds on the clock. She again made the first shot to put SMU ahead 79-78 and missed the second. Pittsburgh’s Mikayla Johnson secured the offensive rebound but missed a putback attempt. King grabbed the defensive board for SMU but immediately turned the ball over, stolen by Hagans with two seconds left. Pittsburgh called a timeout to advance the ball. On the final play, Hollingsworth launched a contested three-pointer from the wing as time expired. The shot fell through the net, but officials ruled it came after the buzzer, securing the one-point victory for the Mustangs. Hagans finished with 33 points, six assists and four steals in 34 minutes, shooting 12 of 24 from the field and 8 of 9 from the free-throw line. Hollingsworth added 16 points and seven rebounds for Pittsburgh. Johnson recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. SMU was led by a balanced effort. King scored 23 points, while Thompson and Sahnya Jah each added 15. Jah, named the team’s top star, filled the stat sheet with nine rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block. Anaya Brown anchored the defense with four blocks. Statistically, the game was remarkably even. Both teams committed 14 turnovers, recorded 10 assists and notched 10 steals. SMU’s advantage came from distance, making 11 three-pointers to Pittsburgh’s six, and from defensive presence, recording eight blocks to Pittsburgh’s three. The Panthers dominated points in the paint, 40-32, and shot a higher percentage from the field, but the Mustangs’ early three-point barrage and late free throws proved decisive. The win avenged a previous loss for SMU, as Pittsburgh had won the first meeting between the teams 83-76 on Jan. 18. The game was played in front of 1,331 fans.

Preview: Pittsburgh Panthers at SMU Mustangs ABILENE, Texas (Interstat) — Two teams seeking to halt extended slides will meet Sunday when the Pittsburgh Panthers visit the SMU Mustangs in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game at Moody Coliseum. The Atlantic Coast Conference matchup features Pittsburgh (8-18) and SMU (8-17), who have identical 0-7 records in their last seven games. Both teams are coming off lopsided road losses on Feb. 12. The Panthers, who have lost eight straight, fell 84-51 to Syracuse. Guard Theresa Hagans leads Pittsburgh, averaging 14.1 points per game. She scored 16 points with five assists in the first meeting against SMU this season. The Mustangs are reeling from a 94-42 defeat at North Carolina. Guard Sahnya Jah, averaging 9.2 points, will be a key for SMU. She had five points in 11 minutes in the previous matchup. In their Jan. 18 game in Pittsburgh, the Mustangs secured an 83-76 victory. SMU’s Zahra King scored a game-high 24 points, while Hagans’ 16 points paced the Panthers. Both teams have struggled defensively, with Pittsburgh allowing an average of 76.2 points during its losing streak and SMU giving up 80.1 per game in its skid. The game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. CST tip-off. Pittsburgh visits Georgia Tech next on Feb. 19, while SMU hosts Boston College the same day.