Box Score (PDF)

TRUJILLO ALTO, Puerto Rico- Olivia Parker scored a game-high 27 points nd hauled down six boards, but SMU used a 12-0 run to end the first half and shot 50.8% from the field in a 69-61 victory over the Gardner-Webb women's basketball team on Sunday afternoon in Coliseo Ruben Zayas Montanez.

Gardner-Webb took its largest lead of the game 27-20 on a jumper by Candace Brown with 4:44 left in the first half, but the Mustangs ended the quarter on a 12-0 run to take a 32-27 lead at half and opened the second half on a 12-2 run to seal the victory.

Tierra Huntsman had a fantastic game for the Runnin' Bulldogs scoring a career-high 25 points on 7-of-13 from the floor and had a great day at the foul line, connecting on 8 of her 10 attempts.

Stephanie Collins led the Mustangs with 14 points and nine rebounds, while teammates McKenzie Adams and Alicia Froling each chipped in with 11 points.

Gabrielle Wilkins came off the bench and added 12 points on 6-of-9 from the floor and the SMU reserves chipped in 27 points compared to just two for the non-starters for Gardner-Webb.

SMU did a great job of distributing the basketball dishing out 23 assists on 31 made field goals, while Gardner-Webb totaled just seven assists on 16 made baskets for the game.

The Mustangs scored 36 of their 69 points in the paint, but Gardner-Webb knocked down 5-18 from behind the arc, and was 24-of-30 from the charity stripe to keep the game within striking distance.

The first period featured eight lead changes and four ties with neither team leading by more than four points, but Wilkins' basket with 44 seconds left gave SMU a 16-15 lead after 10 minutes.

SMU scored the first basket of the second quarter and extended its lead to 18-15, but the Runnin' Bulldogs went on a 12-2 run to take their largest lead of the game, 27-20 with 4:44 left in the half.

The turning point of the first half was when Parker picked up her second foul and headed to the bench for the remainder of the quarter. SMU responded to her absence with its own 12-2 run and would hold a 32-27 lead at half.

After a layup by Adams and two ensuing free-throws by Parker, SMU blitzed the Runnin' Bulldogs with a 12-2 run to begin the second half to put the game out of reach.

Gardner-Webb trailed by as much as 14 with 6:37 left in the fourth quarter, but Huntsman's three with 18 seconds left in regulation trimmed the lead to six, 67-61, but SMU would hold on for the 69-61 victory.

The Runnin' Bulldogs return to action tomorrow when they play their final game in Puerto Rico against Arizona at 3:30 p.m.