Dec. 30, 1999
FULLERTON, Calif.--Cal State Fullerton has had its troubles this season and entered its game against San Diego State still looking for win number one on the year. The Aztecs extended that search for another game Thursday night, handing the Titans an 80-51 loss in a non-conference tilt at Titan Gym.
Aztec freshman Jamey Cox led all scorers with a career-high 30 points, including 19 in the second half, and three other Aztecs finished in double figures, as SDSU (3-8) posted its largest victory since defeating San Jose State by 38 points on Jan. 28, 1998.
"We've been talking to our kids all season about how important putting forth a consistent effort is," said SDSU head coach Barb Smith. "We started off strong early in the first half and for the first time all season we were able to sustain the effort and build upon it for a full 40 minutes."
San Diego State took control of the contest from the opening tap, scoring the game's first 12 points, and lead by as many as 21 points late in the first half. With 6:11 to play in the opening stanza, the Aztecs used an 11-1 run to take their largest lead of the period, 39-18, when Cox stroked one of her seven three pointers, one trey shy of an SDSU record. The Titans (0-9), however, close the period with an 8-2 run of their own, including six points by center Erin Whiteside who paced Fullerton in scoring with 16 points, to cut the Aztec lead to 41-26 at the break.
"The first five minutes of the game and our defense were key for us tonight," said Barb Smith. "Our defense generated some easy offensive opportunities which we capitalized on."
And the Aztecs kept capitalizing on those opportunities in the second half. Cox canned three more treys in the first five minutes to put SDSU back up by 19 before the Aztecs put together a 15-4 spurt midway through the session to take a 67-40 lead with 8:03 to play.
San Diego State capped the victory with an 11-2 run down the stretch and led by 31 points, 80-49, with 10 seconds to play before Fullerton's Kristina Naumovic hit a jumper at the buzzer for the final points of the game.
Aztec junior Shannon Lee, the Mountain West Conference's assist leader, scored a season-best 10 points and tied a career high with eight assists. Junior Anita Bundage and sophomore Atim Otii also finished in double figures with 11 points apiece, while freshman Andrea Kiesling contributed a career-high nine points off the bench. Senior Mary Apiafi led SDSU on the boards with nine rebounds.
But the real story was Cox, whose 30 points were the most by an Aztec since Jodi Nowlin-Tres poured in 32 against UNLV on Jan. 9, 1997.
"Prior to the game we told Jamey that she needed to look for her shot more and score more," Smith said. "As a freshman, she doesn't always feel comfortable in that role (as a scorer). But for us to succeed she has to accept that role. We cannot afford for her to play with a freshman mentality. Tonight she stepped up."
San Diego State returns to the hardwood on Jan. 4 when the Aztecs entertain Texas Christian at Cox Arena. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
San Diego State 80, Cal State Fullerton 51
San Diego State (3-8)
Lee 4-6 2-8 10, Apiafi 2-4 0-0 4, Bundage 1-8 9-11 11, Cox 11-20 1-1 30, Otii 3-10 5-6 11, Hayes 0-0 0-0 0, Wheeler 2-2 0-0 5, Kiesling 4-6 1-2 9. Totals 27-56 18-28 80.
Cal State Fullerton (0-9)
Cleveland 2-11 1-2 5, Hansen 1-3 0-2 2, Whiteside 5-11 6-8 16, Hunter 3-7 0-0 8, Baskins 3-11 0-2 7, Sotero 0-0 0-0 0, Naumovic 4-7 0-0 9, Kale 1-1 0-0 2, Alhadeff 0-3 0-0 0, Cunningham 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 20-58 7-14 51.
Halftime--SDSU 41, CSF 26. 3-Point Goals--SDSU 8-15 (Cox 7-10, Wheeler 1-1, Bundage 0-4), CSF 4-18 (Cleveland 0-4, Hunter 2-3, Baskins 1-7, Naumovic 1-3, Alhadeff 0-1). Fouled out--None. Rebounds--SDSU 39 (Apiafi 9), CSF 27 (Whiteside 15). Assists--SDSU 14 (Lee 8), CSF 7 (Hunter, Baskins, Sotero 2). Total fouls--SDSU 18, CSF 21. Att.--192.