DALLAS, Texas - University of California, Riverside (UCR) traveled to Dallas to open up the 2023-24 season with a battle in Moody Coliseum hosted by the Mustangs of Southern Methodist University (SMU). The teams traded blows in the form of back and forth runs through most of the game before SMU overpowered UCR in the fourth quarter.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Matehya Bryant jumped out with energy immediately, scoring six of the teams' eight points in the first quarter of the match.
• Julia Stenberg capped off an exciting Highlander run in the beginning of the second period with a three pointer to tie the game up 16-16.
• SMU countered with a run of their own surging ahead of the Highlanders to end the first half ahead, 25-37.
• Bryant and Jordan Webster contributed a combined 19 points in the third quarter alone, with both fighting hard to challenge the Mustangs offensively throughout the game.
• The Mustangs maxed out their lead in the fourth quarter, with a final score of 78-55

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

• Bryant (22 Pts 11 Reb) and Webster (24 Pts 10 Reb) brought the offense for the Highlanders today, with a combined 46 points and a pair of double doubles.
• Bryant's 22 points were a career high, breaking her previous career high of 21 points at UC Davis last season. Webster was just four points shy of her career high of 28 points against Long Beach State in 2022-23.
• RyAnne Walters was a crucial component to the Highlanders' threatening offense, dishing out seven assists to lead her team and snatching five boards, most behind Bryant and Webster for the Highlanders.

UP NEXT

• UC Riverside will travel next to UCLA. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 PM on Thursday, November 9. Head to gohighlanders.com for streaming and live stat links.