March 2, 2000
SAN DIEGO - Close but no cigar. It's been the story of the San Diego State women's basketball season in 1999-2000 and Thursday at the MultiPurpose Gym on the Wyoming campus was no different
The Aztecs, who led by as many as nine points in the first half and were never down by more than eight, trailed 54-53 following a Jamey Cox three pointer with 3:07 to play. However, the Cowgirls outscored SDSU 7-2 over the final 2:47, including four free throws by game-high scorer Carrie Bacon (19 points), to hold off the Aztecs for a 63-55 victory.
"We played a great first half, but we just couldn't keep it going," said SDSU head coach Barb Smith, whose Aztecs shot 50 percent from the field in the opening period and five times lead by as many as nine points. "You have to give them (Wyoming) credit. They just outplayed us in the last three minutes of the game."
It was the 10th loss of the season by less than 10 points for the Aztecs, who fell to 8-18 (3-10 Mtn. West) and will finish the current campaign in seventh place, regardless of Saturday's outcome against conference-leading Colorado State.
The win clinched sixth place for Wyoming (10-16, 4-9 Mtn. West), which also completed its first-ever season sweep of the Aztecs with the victory.
Cox and and fellow freshman Kacee Wheeler led a balanced SDSU scoring sheet with 12 points each. Senior Mary Apiafi hauled in a game high 12 rebounds as the Aztecs outboarded Wyoming 39-29.
But it was turnovers that really did in the Aztecs, who surrendered 28 miscues to only 13 by Wyoming.