Nov. 24, 2000
SAN DIEGO - Junior Atim Otii scored a game-high 17 points and San Diego State combined to shoot a school-record 68 percent from the field as the Aztecs advanced to the 2000 Pacific Bell Classic championship game with an 88-59 blowout of Illinois State at Cox Arena Friday night.
The Aztecs, who are clearly more balanced offensively this season, had five players score in double figures, including 10 points by senior Shannon Lee, who notched her third career double-double with 14 assists -- the fourth most in SDSU history.
Junior Claire Swinbank (12 points), freshman Nicolette McCartny (11 points) and junior Tanisha Knight (10 points), also finished in double digits as San Diego Stated recorded its most points since defeating Fresno State, 89-68, on Jan. 30, 1999 -- a span of 36 games. The win was also SDSU's largest margin of victory since the Aztecs handed Air Force a 32-point loss on Feb. 19 last season. Why the offensive explosion?
"We worked on our offense for the last two days in practice and it paid off," said SDSU head coach Barb Smith. "We shot very, very well tonight. We looked for great shots and we took great shots. We followed our game plan and did a great job. It was a great team effort."
That effort landed the Aztecs in the tournament's championship game for the third straight year.
San Diego State (1-2), which has yet to win its Thanksgiving tournament, gets another chance Saturday at 12:30 when the Aztecs take on Chattanooga (2-1), a 72-60 winner over Gonzaga (1-2) in Friday's opener. Illinois State (1-2), which was led by Jaci McCormack's 13 points, faces Gonzaga in the consolation game at 10 a.m.
San Diego State led by just nine points with 7:36 to play before going on a 20-6 run to close out the game. The Aztecs, who shot 80 percent from the free throw line, were a perfect 10-for-10 from the stripe during the spurt.
SDSU also owned the glass Saturday night. Led by senior Anita Bundage, who came off the bench to score eight points and collect a game-high six boards, the Aztecs outrebounded ISU by a whopping 37-18 margin.
Completing the overall effort, the Aztecs also limited their turnovers, coughing up only 17 but dishing out 25 assists during the game.
"I think the team is beginning to feel more comfortable with each other," said Smith. "Jamey (Cox) only had nine points so we were close to having six players in double figures and that's closer to what we are trying to get out of our offense."