SOUTHERN METHODIST MUSTANGS 8 - 16 (1-11 ACC, tie 16th)
NCAA NET 191 (UNC 19); Massey Rating 149 (UNC21); RPI (Nolan) 191 (UNC 19); Torvik 177 (UNC 22); NCAA WAB 218 (UNC 19)
Last Year 10-20 (2-16 ACC; did not qualify for ACCT; No postseason
Thursday evening’s game is against the SMU Mustangs, currently unranked on either top-25 poll. Their conference record so far is 1-11, only Pitt and winless BC trail them in the ACC standings. Carolina, 20-5 (9-3) sits at 21/21 in the most current AP and Coaches polls. Carolina and SMU played for the first time last year in Dallas with the Heels winning 64-33. UNC had four players in double figures, led by Lexi Donarski with 15 (on 5 of 6 threes) and an Ustby double-double of 12 and 18. The 18 boards were her career high.
Southern Methodist is a private school in University Park, Texas (a suburb of Dallas). It is (surprise, surprise) affiliated with the United Methodist Church. In recent times they have favored just being called “SMU”. There are 7,200 undergraduates but more than half as many graduate students: 4,800. They field 16 varsity sports.
Indeed SMU had little reason to play ACC teams in the past, and most games were in various tournaments. They were for many seasons bouncing between major and mid-major conferences: TAIAW, SWC, WAC, C-USA, American, and now the ACC. They have also had some coaching changes. Most recently Toyelle Wilson was released as HC on the vague argument that she was not an ACC level coach. The more likely reason was her 55-64 record over her four years. However that was, SMU experienced a departure of every player from 2025. Not one returnee: starter, letter-winner, nobody.
All of the predictions are for a big Tar Heel win – 27 points by Massey, 34 by Nolan and 30 by Torvik. SMU’s schedule is rated by the NCAA at 113 (Carolina’s is 57) and by Nolan at 93 (UNC 59). I have trouble understanding how an ACC team would have strength of schedule under 50 once conference play starts.
SMU for most of this season has struggled to put together a winning combination of players since every player is either a transfer or a freshman. Adding to their woes has been a string of injuries that has required even more shuffling of lineups. With that in mind, the current roster looks like this: Zahra King, a 5-10 sophomore G, is the leading scorer (14.5 ppg), leads in assists, and is the top 3-point threat: 42.0% on 37 of 88. She transferred in from Cal where she was a deep reserve. She did not play in UNC’s game with Cal last year. King has started all but one game. No other player has that many starts.
A second starter is Anaya Brown, a 6-1 senior F (6.8/5.1) who leads in blocks. She is a transfer from UT Martin, where she had 82 starts and was 2x All-OVC 1st Team. She has played every game with 14 starts. Brown is competent with the three: 39.4% on 13 of 33. The third starter is likely to be Ayanna Thompson, a 6-1 senior G (4.9/2.3). In from Ole Miss, she has 15 starts across all 24 games. At Ole Miss she was strictly a reserve.
Likely to start is Grace Hall, a 6-2 redshirt senior (4.4/3.8) who has 14 starts across 21 games. Her last home port was Penn State where she had 15 starts and averaged 5.7 ppg. Hall began her career at LSU. Figuring out who will be the fifth starter is a bit more complex. For six of the last seven ACC games it has been Jazzy Gipson, a 6-0 freshman G. Jazzy (short for Jasmine) is not a scorer – 3 of 18 (0-10 from three), 16.7%. Her coach must like something since she gets 17.3 minutes on the floor. Jazzy does have 11 assists and 7 steals.
Others in the mix are Miriam Ibezim, a 6-2 senior F from Michigan’s Oakland University. She had 50 starts there and was better known as a rebounder. For SMU she has primarily been the 6th player (3.3/4.9). Another choice would be Sahnya Jah, a 6-0 F (9.3/4.5). She was at Arizona and followed her coach to SMU. Another freshman is Elizaveta Filchagina, a 6-2 F (0.8/0.9). She is from Russia so she and UNC’s Liza Astakhova can discuss living in the USA.
From the infirmary we find the following: Kyla Deck, a 5-9 senior G from North Texas who was a double figure scorer (10.1), 3-point shooter (39.6%) and steals leader over 13 early season starts. She has not played since December and is listed as “questionable”. In the next bed is Jzaniya Harriel, a 5-10 redshirt senior G from Stanford who was getting substantial double-digit minutes through 16 games. She has missed the last seven games and is also listed as “questionable”. Finally there is Tyi Skinner, the 5-5 GS PG (13.6 ppg) who was the starter for the first seven games. A transfer from Arizona State, whatever her injury is appears to be season-ending.
Apparently out also are Elise Hill, a 5-7 junior PG; Mailien Rolf, a 5-10 sophomore G; and Roxy White, a 5-11 freshman F. None have played.
Then there’s Paulina Paris, a 5-9 senior G (9.6/2.9). Paulina has 12 starts in 20 games so far and will shoot the three (76 attempts) although at 25% her coach may wish otherwise. She followed Coach Barnes from Arizona where she had 24 starts (8.3 ppg). In her two years at UNC she had some great moments: in particular her fourth quarter heroics – 9 points against Virginia Tech and 11 against Notre Dame as a freshman. She was injured her sophomore year against Virginia January 14th, and played no more for the Heels. There was some talk that on the bench she was a bit disruptive. She did not play the SMU-dook game Sunday but is not reported to be injured.
After a couple of exhibition games, SMU opened with a win over Grambling State (96-70). A loss 44-46 to Kansas State was followed by three straight losses, to Texas Tech, Grand Canyon and North Texas. SMU then went to Nashville to play in the Music City Classic, splitting a pair of games: Saint Louis (L 67-70) and Winthrop (W 84-61). The Mustangs defeated Southern Miss 83-70 and held up their end of the ACC/SEC Challenge by defeating Arkansas 78-63. In that game Paris and Jah combined for 35 points.
In the required December conference game, SMU took on Syracuse at home and lost to the Oranges 69-78. Three non-conference wins followed: Coppin State (57-49), at Sam Houston (73-69), and with Southern (74-62). Then, things went south in a hurry when ACC play began.
Five straight losses (UVA, Louisville, GTech, NCSU, and Va Tech) were followed by a win at Pitt (83-76), but then five more losses (FSU, Miami, Clemson, Wake, and dook). The average of those 10 losses is 26.4 points.
A point might be made here. No doubt that SMU is having a bad season. They have had some injury problems. Most of the players they were able to attract in the portal were not highly regarded at their original schools. An exception might be noted for Tyi Skinner, who was a 2x All-Conference HM performer at Arizona State, but she is not now playing. Still, players like Thompson, Brown, Hall, Paris or Harriel are veterans who have been through the battles, and are not likely to be intimidated by what may prove to be a sparse crowd in Carmichael. This would be especially true of Paulina Paris.
From a statistical analysis, SMU has some glaring weaknesses. The scoring at 57.4 (12th) isn’t terrible – Carolina is at 69.3 (9th). Defensively the Mustangs have issues: points against 79.5 (16th), scoring margin -22.1 (16th), FG% .357 (17th), FG defense .470 (17th), 3 point defense .351 (16th). They are a poor rebounding team, 17th in both offensive and defensive rebounds with a rebounding margin of -14.8 (18th). SMU averages 9.17 assists (18th) and their assist-to-turnover ratio is 0.53 (18th). Hopefully UNC can take full advantage of these areas.
SMU has a new head coach: Adia Barnes. Barnes spent the previous nine seasons as HC at Arizona. Her record there was 169-114 and included a trip to the NCAA Final Four in 2021, where they lost to Stanford in the title game. Barnes is an Arizona grad (’98) who spent several years bouncing around the WNBA and the Euroleague. She is known to be a stylish dresser. Her husband, Salvo Coppa, is an assistant. More interesting to UNC fans is Bett Shelby, an assistant who held that position for a season at Carolina. She was let go in the massive purge of Sylvia Hatchell’s staff in 2019.
SMU really does not have a lot to lose in this game. Carolina does, positioned as they are in 5th place and with “gurus” like Charlie Crème predicting a 6th seed in the NCAA. Care should be taken that there is no overlooking SMU to focus on Sunday’s game in Durham.
The game is 6 PM EST and will be broadcast by ACCN. The usual radio links are available.
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NCAA NET 191 (UNC 19); Massey Rating 149 (UNC21); RPI (Nolan) 191 (UNC 19); Torvik 177 (UNC 22); NCAA WAB 218 (UNC 19)
Last Year 10-20 (2-16 ACC; did not qualify for ACCT; No postseason
Thursday evening’s game is against the SMU Mustangs, currently unranked on either top-25 poll. Their conference record so far is 1-11, only Pitt and winless BC trail them in the ACC standings. Carolina, 20-5 (9-3) sits at 21/21 in the most current AP and Coaches polls. Carolina and SMU played for the first time last year in Dallas with the Heels winning 64-33. UNC had four players in double figures, led by Lexi Donarski with 15 (on 5 of 6 threes) and an Ustby double-double of 12 and 18. The 18 boards were her career high.
Southern Methodist is a private school in University Park, Texas (a suburb of Dallas). It is (surprise, surprise) affiliated with the United Methodist Church. In recent times they have favored just being called “SMU”. There are 7,200 undergraduates but more than half as many graduate students: 4,800. They field 16 varsity sports.
Indeed SMU had little reason to play ACC teams in the past, and most games were in various tournaments. They were for many seasons bouncing between major and mid-major conferences: TAIAW, SWC, WAC, C-USA, American, and now the ACC. They have also had some coaching changes. Most recently Toyelle Wilson was released as HC on the vague argument that she was not an ACC level coach. The more likely reason was her 55-64 record over her four years. However that was, SMU experienced a departure of every player from 2025. Not one returnee: starter, letter-winner, nobody.
All of the predictions are for a big Tar Heel win – 27 points by Massey, 34 by Nolan and 30 by Torvik. SMU’s schedule is rated by the NCAA at 113 (Carolina’s is 57) and by Nolan at 93 (UNC 59). I have trouble understanding how an ACC team would have strength of schedule under 50 once conference play starts.
SMU for most of this season has struggled to put together a winning combination of players since every player is either a transfer or a freshman. Adding to their woes has been a string of injuries that has required even more shuffling of lineups. With that in mind, the current roster looks like this: Zahra King, a 5-10 sophomore G, is the leading scorer (14.5 ppg), leads in assists, and is the top 3-point threat: 42.0% on 37 of 88. She transferred in from Cal where she was a deep reserve. She did not play in UNC’s game with Cal last year. King has started all but one game. No other player has that many starts.
A second starter is Anaya Brown, a 6-1 senior F (6.8/5.1) who leads in blocks. She is a transfer from UT Martin, where she had 82 starts and was 2x All-OVC 1st Team. She has played every game with 14 starts. Brown is competent with the three: 39.4% on 13 of 33. The third starter is likely to be Ayanna Thompson, a 6-1 senior G (4.9/2.3). In from Ole Miss, she has 15 starts across all 24 games. At Ole Miss she was strictly a reserve.
Likely to start is Grace Hall, a 6-2 redshirt senior (4.4/3.8) who has 14 starts across 21 games. Her last home port was Penn State where she had 15 starts and averaged 5.7 ppg. Hall began her career at LSU. Figuring out who will be the fifth starter is a bit more complex. For six of the last seven ACC games it has been Jazzy Gipson, a 6-0 freshman G. Jazzy (short for Jasmine) is not a scorer – 3 of 18 (0-10 from three), 16.7%. Her coach must like something since she gets 17.3 minutes on the floor. Jazzy does have 11 assists and 7 steals.
Others in the mix are Miriam Ibezim, a 6-2 senior F from Michigan’s Oakland University. She had 50 starts there and was better known as a rebounder. For SMU she has primarily been the 6th player (3.3/4.9). Another choice would be Sahnya Jah, a 6-0 F (9.3/4.5). She was at Arizona and followed her coach to SMU. Another freshman is Elizaveta Filchagina, a 6-2 F (0.8/0.9). She is from Russia so she and UNC’s Liza Astakhova can discuss living in the USA.
From the infirmary we find the following: Kyla Deck, a 5-9 senior G from North Texas who was a double figure scorer (10.1), 3-point shooter (39.6%) and steals leader over 13 early season starts. She has not played since December and is listed as “questionable”. In the next bed is Jzaniya Harriel, a 5-10 redshirt senior G from Stanford who was getting substantial double-digit minutes through 16 games. She has missed the last seven games and is also listed as “questionable”. Finally there is Tyi Skinner, the 5-5 GS PG (13.6 ppg) who was the starter for the first seven games. A transfer from Arizona State, whatever her injury is appears to be season-ending.
Apparently out also are Elise Hill, a 5-7 junior PG; Mailien Rolf, a 5-10 sophomore G; and Roxy White, a 5-11 freshman F. None have played.
Then there’s Paulina Paris, a 5-9 senior G (9.6/2.9). Paulina has 12 starts in 20 games so far and will shoot the three (76 attempts) although at 25% her coach may wish otherwise. She followed Coach Barnes from Arizona where she had 24 starts (8.3 ppg). In her two years at UNC she had some great moments: in particular her fourth quarter heroics – 9 points against Virginia Tech and 11 against Notre Dame as a freshman. She was injured her sophomore year against Virginia January 14th, and played no more for the Heels. There was some talk that on the bench she was a bit disruptive. She did not play the SMU-dook game Sunday but is not reported to be injured.
After a couple of exhibition games, SMU opened with a win over Grambling State (96-70). A loss 44-46 to Kansas State was followed by three straight losses, to Texas Tech, Grand Canyon and North Texas. SMU then went to Nashville to play in the Music City Classic, splitting a pair of games: Saint Louis (L 67-70) and Winthrop (W 84-61). The Mustangs defeated Southern Miss 83-70 and held up their end of the ACC/SEC Challenge by defeating Arkansas 78-63. In that game Paris and Jah combined for 35 points.
In the required December conference game, SMU took on Syracuse at home and lost to the Oranges 69-78. Three non-conference wins followed: Coppin State (57-49), at Sam Houston (73-69), and with Southern (74-62). Then, things went south in a hurry when ACC play began.
Five straight losses (UVA, Louisville, GTech, NCSU, and Va Tech) were followed by a win at Pitt (83-76), but then five more losses (FSU, Miami, Clemson, Wake, and dook). The average of those 10 losses is 26.4 points.
A point might be made here. No doubt that SMU is having a bad season. They have had some injury problems. Most of the players they were able to attract in the portal were not highly regarded at their original schools. An exception might be noted for Tyi Skinner, who was a 2x All-Conference HM performer at Arizona State, but she is not now playing. Still, players like Thompson, Brown, Hall, Paris or Harriel are veterans who have been through the battles, and are not likely to be intimidated by what may prove to be a sparse crowd in Carmichael. This would be especially true of Paulina Paris.
From a statistical analysis, SMU has some glaring weaknesses. The scoring at 57.4 (12th) isn’t terrible – Carolina is at 69.3 (9th). Defensively the Mustangs have issues: points against 79.5 (16th), scoring margin -22.1 (16th), FG% .357 (17th), FG defense .470 (17th), 3 point defense .351 (16th). They are a poor rebounding team, 17th in both offensive and defensive rebounds with a rebounding margin of -14.8 (18th). SMU averages 9.17 assists (18th) and their assist-to-turnover ratio is 0.53 (18th). Hopefully UNC can take full advantage of these areas.
SMU has a new head coach: Adia Barnes. Barnes spent the previous nine seasons as HC at Arizona. Her record there was 169-114 and included a trip to the NCAA Final Four in 2021, where they lost to Stanford in the title game. Barnes is an Arizona grad (’98) who spent several years bouncing around the WNBA and the Euroleague. She is known to be a stylish dresser. Her husband, Salvo Coppa, is an assistant. More interesting to UNC fans is Bett Shelby, an assistant who held that position for a season at Carolina. She was let go in the massive purge of Sylvia Hatchell’s staff in 2019.
SMU really does not have a lot to lose in this game. Carolina does, positioned as they are in 5th place and with “gurus” like Charlie Crème predicting a 6th seed in the NCAA. Care should be taken that there is no overlooking SMU to focus on Sunday’s game in Durham.
The game is 6 PM EST and will be broadcast by ACCN. The usual radio links are available.
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