Feb. 17, 2000
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State freshman Jamey Cox scored 16 points and classmate Kacee Wheeler added a career-high 14, but New Mexico was perfect from the free throw line down the stretch, canning 8-of-8 in the final 1:05, as the Lobos held off the upset minded Aztecs, 66-60, at Cox Arena, Thursday night.
Lobo freshman Jordan Adams led all scorers with 22 points on 10-for-15 shooting from the field before fouling out with 1:50 to play. Junior Miranda Sanchez finished with 11 points for New Mexico (16-6, 7-2 Mtn. West) and was the only other Lobo in double figures.
"I wasn't surprised at all by San Diego State's effort tonight," said New Mexico head coach Don Flanagan. "They've had a lot of games this season where they've played extremely well, maybe not enough of them for everybody, but they've had games where they've really, really played hard. They've always been a physical team and played hard, and with Jamey Cox and Kacee Wheeler on the outside and their post players who are very physical and quick, they're tough. They gave a really good effort tonight and but for a few circumstances, it was their game."
San Diego State (7-16, 2-8 Mtn. West) led by as many as eight points midway through the second half, before Adams fueled a 10-0 scoring run with six points as the Lobos took a 51-49 lead with 6:02 to play.
Two ties and three lead changes highlighted the final five minutes of play. Aztec junior Anita Bundage, who finished with eight points and a game-high eight rebounds, hit her only three pointer of the game with 1:42 to play to put SDSU back on top for the final time at 59-58 before the Lobos, who shot 16-for-17 from the foul line on the night, scored their final eight points from the stripe.
"I was very proud of our effort tonight," SDSU head coach Barb Smith said. "We played an outstanding first half but we just couldn't keep it going down the stretch. It's disappointing to come so close, but I was glad to see that our effort was there."
SDSU scored the game's first nine points and led the entire first half, taking a 30-25 lead into the locker room at intermission.
The Aztecs return to action on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 2:30 p.m. when SDSU takes on Air Force in its final home game of the 1999-2000 season at Cox Arena.