Tag: SMU Mustangs

Duke women’s basketball dominates on defense yet again in road win over SMU

Freshman Toby Fournier scored 24 points and Duke held SMU to four points in the second quarter during Thursday’s lopsided win over SMU.

Not to alarm any Duke women’s basketball fans, but the Blue Devils rode a dominant defense and a productive night from freshman forward Toby Fournier to yet another blowout win on Thursday night.

Fournier scored 24 points in 26 minutes, her fifth 20-point performance of the season, and Duke allowed four second-quarter points in the 81-46 road win over the SMU Mustangs.

While the midweek game eventually became a sweat-free victory for the team from Durham, it looked pretty intense through the first 10 minutes. The Mustangs scored 21 points in an electric opening frame, trailing the Blue Devils by just three after they went 8/12 (66.7%) from the floor and 3/5 (60%) from beyond the arc.

Over the next 10 minutes? SMU made one of its 13 shots.

“We didn’t start the way we would’ve hoped defensively,” head coach Kara Lawson said after the game. “Challenged the group at the quarter break. They responded.”

Duke, on the other hand, kept the pedal through the floor. The Blue Devils notched more than 20 points in each of the first three quarters, building a 70-34 lead with one period left on the clock. They made eight of their 12 3-pointers before halftime, a sharpshooting performance predictably led by five triples from Ashlon Jackson, and finished the game at a 47.6% clip from distance.

Fournier, the reigning ACC Rookie of the Week after a 23-point double-double against California, made nine of her 15 looks off the bench. The 6-foot-2 frontcourt star from Canada even made a 3-pointer for the second straight contest, giving her three makes on eight attempts for the season. The freshman sensation tallied seven rebounds and a block before the end of the night, and she’s averaging 13.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks for the year.

The Blue Devils (16-4, 7-1) have now won four straight games and six of their last seven, and Lawson has her team on an absolute heater defensively. Duke has surrendered 45.3 points over its last six games, and the Virginia Cavaliers are the only team to surpass 50 against the Blue Devils in regulation since January 2.

Top 10 moments from Penn State’s 2024 season: Winning College Football Playoff debut at home (No. 2)

Penn State’s College Football Playoff debut in Beaver Stadium was one of the top moments of the 2024 season.

With Penn State’s football season now officially in the books, now is a good time to start putting the whole season into perspective. Although the season ended with the Nittany Lions coming up just short of playing for a national championship, there were a lot of good moments to reflect on positively from the 2024 season that ended with a final record of 13-3. The shortcomings are well documented, but the highlights of the year should not be forgotten.

The expansion of the College Football Playoff came at a great time for Penn State. Ironically, the Nittany Lions had stumbled on a quest to be one of the four playoff teams in the previous four-team model but entered the first postseason with a 12-team College Football Playoff as the no. 4 team ranked by the selection committee. Without a conference title, however, Penn State was bumped down in the seeding process as the top four seeds were reserved exclusively for conference champions. That bumped Penn State down to the no. 6 seed overall but was still more than good enough to secure a home game in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

Penn State would have loved to take the Big Ten championship and secure a first-round bye, of course, but its loss to Oregon in the Big Ten championship game dropped Penn State into perhaps the most favorable draw in the playoff field. It all started with the first postseason game in Beaver Stadium history with a first-round matchup against ACC runner-up SMU.

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Penn State’s defense set the tone and got the scoring started with not one, but TWO interceptions returned for touchdowns. Veteran linebacker [autotag]Dominic DeLuca[/autotag] had a 23-yard return for a score midway through the first quarter. Early in the second quarter, it was rising star linebacker [autotag]Tony Rojas[/autotag] who picked off SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings. Rojas then took off for a 59-yard return for a touchdown to put Penn State up 14-0 before the offense found its groove in the chilly December temperatures.

Before the first half came to a close, [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] and [autotag]Nicholas Singleton[/autotag] each took the ball into the end zone for a touchdown and Penn State was in full command with a 28-0 lead at halftime.

A capacity cro3d of 106,013 filled Beaver Stadium with a whiteout energy taking over Happy Valley for the long-awaited playoff debut for the program. They were treated to a dominant performance fueled by the defense, which forced three turnovers and turned each of those takeaways into a touchdown. The win moved Penn State onto the second round of the expanded playoff to face No. 3 seed and Mountain West Conference champion Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.

Home teams went 4-0 in the first-round matchups in the playoff with Penn State joining Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Texas as teams advancing to the second round. All four would eventually go on to play in the semifinal round.

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Notre Dame women’s basketball dominates SMU in Hannah Hidalgo’s return to the lineup

The Irish roll the Mustangs in Hidalgo’s return

It was a warm welcome back to the starting lineup for Notre Dame women’s basketball star Hannah Hidalgo, as she led the team with 23-points and added 10 rebounds in the Irish’s 88-64 win over visiting SMU.

Four total Notre Dame players scored in double-digits, as Olivia Miles led the rest with 17-points, and also had 10-rebounds. While the Irish were able to score plenty, but this game was much more about their tenacious defense.

Notre Dame shot 46.5% overall, just 11.1% from three, but held the Mustangs to just 39.1% on the night. The Irish forced 20 turnovers, which is always a winning formula. Hidalgo led the team with 5 steals, as the team had 11.

The win puts the overall record for the Irish at 16-2, as they will have a few days off before traveling to Boston College next Thursday in pursuit of win No. 12 in-a-row.

Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey coaches guard Hannah Hidalgo (3) during a NCAA women’s basketball game between Notre Dame and SMU at Purcell Pavilion on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in South Bend.

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Is Hannah Hidalgo playing today? Injury updates for Notre Dame star guard

Do the Irish women get their star guard back tonight?

The Notre Dame women’s basketball team has been fine without its star guard [autotag]Hannah Hidalgo[/autotag], but it looks like the Irish are getting good news for Sunday’s contest against SMU.

According to Sean Stires, the radio play-by-play broadcaster for women’s basketball, Hidalgo will be back in the starting lineup after missing the last two games with an ankle sprain.

The sophomore has dominated when on the court this season, averaging 25.7 points-per-game with 6 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Notre Dame has won its past 10-games, and while they haven’t missed Hidalgo, they will more than welcome the return of its star.

The Irish women will tip-off at 6:00 p.m. ET as the game will be played on the ACC Network.

Dec 12, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Hannah Hidalgo (3) reacts as time expires in the win over the Connecticut Huskies at the Purcell Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

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Duke’s Cooper Flagg sweeps ACC Player of the Week and ACC Rookie of the Week honors

Cooper Flagg swept the ACC Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week awards for the second time this season on Monday.

Thanks to a pair of 24-point performances against Virginia Tech and SMU last week, Duke freshman [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] swept the ACC Player of the Week and ACC Rookie of the Week awards for the second time on Monday.

The first-year Blue Devils forward put forth his most efficient outing of the year against the Hokies last Tuesday, making nine of his 14 shots from the floor for a season-high 64.3% field goal percentage. He showed off his passing ability with six assists and contributed four steals on the defensive end as Duke won by 23 points.

In Saturday’s victory over the Mustangs, Flagg did all of his damage in the first 26 minutes of the game. He made both of his 3-point attempts, making him four-for-six from distance for the week, and grabbed 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the year.

Flagg averaged 24.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks for the week while shooting 61.5% from the field, and the Blue Devils won both games by a combined 50 points.

Through the first nine weeks of the college basketball season, Flagg has now been named ACC Rookie of the Week five times and ACC Player of the Week twice.

Where are the Duke Blue Devils in the ESPN Basketball Power Index after the SMU blowout?

See where the Duke Blue Devils are in the ESPN Basketball Power Index after their eighth straight win on Saturday.

The Duke Blue Devils won their eighth straight game on Saturday in their most impressive effort yet, a 27-point road victory over the previously 11-2 SMU Mustangs, and [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] and his teammates moved slightly closer to the No. 1 spot in the ESPN Basketball Power Index because of it.

Flagg scored 24 points, giving him at least 20 in five of Duke’s last seven games, and the Blue Devils held SMU to just 62 points after the Mustangs averaged an ACC-best 87.2 to start the year. Oh, and they did all of that with head coach Jon Scheyer absent from the bench with an illness.

As of Sunday, Duke sits second in the BPI rankings with a 22.6 index, narrowly behind the Auburn Tigers at 23.1. The Houston Cougars (No. 3 at 22.4) and undefeated Tennessee Volunteers (No. 4 at 21.0) are the only other teams above 19.0 in the metric.

ESPN has considered the Blue Devils the most well-rounded team in the nation all season, and that still holds true through Saturday’s games. Duke has surrendered fewer than 60.0 points per game amid a difficult opening schedule, and the Blue Devils have put at least 82 points on the board in each of their last three efforts.

It all adds up to a team that ranks second in the offensive power index and third in the defensive power index, making Duke the only team within the top five on both ends.

The Pittsburgh Panthers, Duke’s next opponent, sit at No. 31 after a 12-2 start to the campaign.

The best Duke basketball photos from Saturday’s win over the SMU Mustangs

Check out the best photos of Cooper Flagg and the Duke Blue Devils from Saturday’s win over SMU.

The Duke Blue Devils put forth their most impressive performance of the season on Saturday afternoon, ending SMU’s seven-game win streak with an 89-62 road victory without head coach [autotag]Jon Scheyer[/autotag].

Scheyer did not travel with the team as he battles illness, but freshman superstar [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] didn’t look unprepared despite the change. The 18-year-old forward scored 24 points, 15 of which came before halftime, and snagged 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the year, and his 61.5% field goal percentage this week is by far his best two-game stretch of the season.

Tulane transfer Sion James dished eight assists against a single turnover, and the Blue Devils became the second team to hold SMU under 70 points as the Duke defense becomes more of a problem with each passing game.

Here are the best photos from Duke’s fourth conference victory of the season.

How many points did Cooper Flagg score agains the SMU Mustangs?

Here’s how Duke freshman phenom Cooper Flagg performed against the SMU Mustangs on Saturday.

With more than a dozen collegiate basketball games under his belt now, Duke freshman [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] only seems to be getting better.

It’s a scary thought for the rest of the country considering that the 18-year-forward averaged 16.3 points per game before the holiday break, but he’s put forth his two most efficient performances of the season since New Year’s Eve. He followed up his 24-point outing against Virginia Tech with 24 more points against SMU on Saturday, only needing 26 shots between the two games as he finds easier paths to the basket with each passing week.

The Mustangs looked like a potential ACC challenger with 11 wins in their first 13 games under former USC Trojans coach Andy Enfield, but Flagg and his teammates made a statement about who truly runs the conference out in Texas. Here’s a recap of his performance in the Saturday victory.

Cooper Flagg points scored vs. SMU:

Flagg finished with 24 points against the Mustangs despite taking his last shot with more than 14 minutes left on the clock. He finished 7/12 from the floor, making him 61.5% over the past two games, and his 11 rebounds gave him his fifth double-double of the year.

Flagg also notched three assists, two blocks, and a steal.

Did Duke win?

Yes, the Blue Devils won 89-62 thanks to Flagg’s 15 first-half points and eight assists from veteran guard Sion James.

Cooper Flagg’s next game:

The Duke Blue Devils will return to the court on Tuesday with a home game against the Pittsburgh Panthers.

Cooper Flagg’s efficient outing helps Duke basketball past SMU for eighth straight win

Thanks to yet another efficient game from freshman superstar Cooper Flagg, Duke halted SMU’s seven-game win streak on Saturday afternoon.

For a minute, it looked like the Blue Devils missed a chance at some easy points in the first half against SMU.

Maliq Brown managed to split two defenders with a perfect bounce pass to Sion James on the baseline, and the former Tulane guard went up and under for a reverse layup. His shot went too far up the glass, however, bouncing harmlessly off the rim and toward the Mustangs’ defense rather than finding its target.

Enter [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag].

The freshman superstar flew in from the perimeter and got both hands on the ball, throwing it back through the basket and hanging on the iron for a beat before dropping back to the court.

Flagg’s 24 points helped the Blue Devils (12-2, 4-0) win their eighth straight game in Texas on Saturday afternoon, halting a red-hot SMU (11-3, 2-1) squad for a 89-62 victory.

Duke didn’t lose once in December, but with head coach Jon Scheyer unable to make the trip due to an illness and the Mustangs riding a seven-game win streak of their own with the ACC’s top offense, fans around the conference crossed their fingers to see if a challenger could emerge.

Flagg averaged 16.3 points through his first 12 collegiate games, but if any part of the top-ranked freshman’s game created concern, it was his shooting efficiency. Despite his size and athleticism, the 6-foot-9 forward made just 42.1% of his shots and 25.0% of his 3-point looks before the holiday break.

The presumed No. 1 overall draft pick put forth his most surgical effort yet on New Year’s Eve against Virginia Tech, making nine of his 14 looks for 24 points against the Hokies, and he picked up right where he left off against the Mustangs.

Flagg earned four trips to the free-throw line and connected on a mid-range jumper in the first five minutes against SMU, a quick six points that helped the Blue Devils race out to a 17-7 lead. The first-year star found his mark on four of his eight first-half shots, including that aforementioend putback dunk and his lone 3-point effort, to tally 15 points.

Duke led 41-32 as both teams returned to the locker room, and unlike some other stellar outings this season, Flagg kept his foot on the pedal after the break. He drove to the glass twice in the first three minutes of the second half and rejected an effort from SMU center Samet Yigitoglu to spark another quick run.

The Blue Devils rattled off a 16-6 stretch in the first five minutes of the period, and a 3-pointer from fellow freshman Kon Knueppel gave them a 19-point lead with 15:16 left to play.

Flagg made seven of his 12 shots for the game, his second straight outing above 58% from the floor, and he’s now scored at least 20 in five of Duke’s last seven. His 11 rebounds also gave him a fifth double-double of the season.

James didn’t convert that fancy first-half layup, but the senior guard did notch eight assists as he constantly opened up opportunities around him. The former Green Wave star was known for his ability to drive to the basket at his old school, but he used that scouting report against SMU. James routinely dribbled his way into the paint before kicking the ball out to the perimeter, including one perfect dish to Purdue transfer Mason Gillis late in the opening half, and he only turned the ball over once.

The Duke defense also won the battle of the ACC’s best. SMU paced the conference with 87.2 points per game before Saturday, but the Blue Devils kept the home team to 34.3% from the field.

Only three of Duke’s 14 opponents have shot better than 40% so far this season, and the Blue Devils are allowing 59.2 points per game. After holding the vaunted Auburn Tigers offense to just 78 last month, Saturday’s win showed yet again that Flagg and his teammates can shut down great offenses.

The Blue Devils get the rest of the weekend to celebrate their win, but the work continues on Tuesday with a home game against the 11-2 Pittsburgh Panthers.

Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer to miss Saturday’s game against SMU with an illness

Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer didn’t make the trip to SMU on Saturday due to an illness

The Duke Blue Devils hope to snap SMU’s seven-game winning streak on Saturday, but they’ll need to do so without head coach [autotag]Jon Scheyer[/autotag] on the sidelines.

The team announced on Saturday afternoon that Scheyer didn’t travel to Dallas with the team as he battles an illness. The Blue Devils said they expect him back for Tuesday’s home game against Pittsburgh, so he shouldn’t miss extended time, but associate head coach Chris Carrawell will take his place against the Mustangs.

While Scheyer’s already put together an impressive resume in three years at the helm, winning a conference tournament title and reaching the Elite Eight, Carrawell shouldn’t miss a beat. He’s been on the team staff since 2018 and was promoted to associate ahead of the 2021-22 campaign, Mike Krzyzewski’s final year in charge.

Freshman superstar [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] and his teammates lead the ACC with 59.0 points allowed per game, and the Blue Devils have held 10 of their first 13 opponents to 65 points or fewer.