POCATELLO, Idaho -- Senior Mary Apiafi (Pasadena, CA) posted her first career double-double with a career-high 23 points and an American Dream Classic-record 13 rebounds, but it wasn't enough as San Diego State fell to Idaho State, 72-68, in the season opener for both squads.
Forced to go with just eight players, the Aztecs (0-1, 0-0 Mountain West) came out cold early and trailed Idaho State (1-0, 0-0 Big Sky) by as many as 27 in the first half before going on a 17-2 run down the stretch to tie the game at 66-66 with 2:58 to play. Freshman point guard Jamey Cox (Waterloo, Iowa), who played all but two minutes of the game in her first career start and finished up with 16 points and four assists, sank a pair of jumpers to get the run started.
San Diego State then went inside to narrow the margin further, as junior Anita Bundage (Conroe, Texas) scored six of her eight points and sophomore Atim Otii (Denver, Colo.) added four of her 13 during the spurt.
However, that's as close at the Aztecs would get, as ISU hit two free throws and a pair of lay-ups to put the game out of reach. Sara Nelson had 17 points, including 10 in the first half, and Chris Urbanski added 15 to pace the Bengals in scoring.
San Diego State returns to action on Saturday at 5:00 (MST) when the Aztecs take on Portland, a 77-59 winner over Mountain West Conrerence foe Wyoming Friday, in game three of the 1999 America Dream Classic.
Idaho State 72, San Diego State 68
IDAHO STATE (1-0)
Range 1-2 2-2 4, Nelson 5-9 5-6 17, Carver 3-11 5-7 11, Urbanski 5-12 2-2 15, Munger4-12 2-2 10, Anderson 0-0 0-0 0, Williams 0-0 0-0 0, Griffin, Je. 2-4 1-2 7, Griffin, Ja.0-0 0-0 0, Banks 0-1 0-0 0, Toner 3-5 2-2 8. Totals 23-56 19-23 72.
SAN DIEGO STATE (0-1)
Bundage 2-5 4-4 8, Otii 5-7 2-2 12, Apiafi 7-12 9-13 23, Lee 2-11 0-2 4, Cox 6-12 2-216, Hayes 0-0 0-0 0, Wheeler 1-4 1-2 3, Kiesling 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 24-52 18-25 68.
Halftime--Idaho State 43, San Diego State 29. 3-Point Goals--Idaho State 7 (Urbanski 3,Nelson 2, Griffin, Je. 2), San Diego State 2 (Cox 2). Fouled out--None. Rebounds--IdahoState 34 (Carver 9), San Diego State 33 (Apiafi 13). Assists--Idaho State 16 (Munger 6),San Diego State 13 (Lee 7). Total fouls--Idaho State 20, San Diego State 17. A--265.