Feb. 1, 2001
SAN DIEGO - Revenge and redemption can be strong motivating factors.
San Diego State used both Thursday night and got a season-high 17 points from junior Claire Swinbank as the Aztecs posted a 58-50 come-from-behind victory over Wyoming in front of 418 at Cox Arena.
Senior Anita Bundage added 10 points and a team-leading eight rebounds for San Diego State (11-8, 3-3 MWC), which snapped a two-game losing streak with the victory. The Aztecs' also ended a two-game slide versus the Cowgirls, who swept last year's home-and-home series.
"We started out slow tonight and I think early on we were still searching for some confidence," said SDSU head coach Barb Smith, whose Aztecs have now posted the most wins in a season during her tenure. "In the second half we started getting it back and that intensity put us over the top."
SDSU trailed 29-25 at intermission and by as many as 10 points with 14:48 to play before going on a 22-4 run to take a 49-41 lead with 2:10 remaining.
Junior Missy Schomaker, who had been on the shelf for the last three games with a strained muscle in her back, keyed the spurt with seven straight points to give the Aztecs their first lead of the game, 39-37, at the 12:05 mark. SDSU's defense took it from there, forcing eight turnovers and yielding just two field goals over the next 10 minutes to take control of the game.
"Our defense was really the key to getting us back in the game," said Smith. "We picked up full court defensively and then mixed it up with some man-to-man and I think that confused (Wyoming)."
Shelby Hoffman scored 15 points and Jessica Gibbs added 11 for Wyoming (9-10, 1-5 MWC), which cut SDSU's lead to 55-50 with 24.8 seconds to play on a Lisa McCann three pointer
But the Aztecs, who connected on 7-of-10 from the free throw line in down the stretch, hit 3-of-4 in the final 11 seconds to put the game on ice.
San Diego State wraps up the first half of Mountain West Conference play on Saturday, Feb. 3, when the Aztec host Colorado State at 2 p.m.