Feb. 3, 2001
SAN DIEGO - Colorado State's Angie Gorton hit the front end of a one-and-one with 2.2 seconds to play and San Diego State junior Missy Schomaker's buzzer-beater from just outside the left elbow glanced off the rim as the Rams held off the Aztecs for a 55-54 victory Saturday afternoon in front of 653 at Cox Arena.
Schomaker, who made her first start since Dec. 6, led SDSU (11-9, 3-4 MWC) with 12 points. Senior Anita Bundage and junior Atim Otii each grabbed seven rebounds. Otii also finished with 12 points.
Gorton had 12 points to pace CSU (16-4, 5-2), which snapped a four-game losing streak against the Aztecs and tasted victory for the first time in San Diego with the win.
But it was a heartbreaking loss for the Aztecs, who trailed by 15 points midway through the first half and by as many as 13 after intermission before clawing their way back into the game.
"It was a great game," said SDSU head coach Barb Smith. "I'm a little frustrated by our slow start. With a little more intensity early on I think we could have had a different outcome. But coming back the way we did said a lot about the character of our players. We got our shot off at the end. It just didn't go."
In a 40-27 hole with less than 13 minutes to play, SDSU cobbled together a 15-2 run to force the first of four ties with 5:25 to play. Schomaker, just one game back from being sidelined by a back injury, sparked the rally with nine points, nailing a pair of three pointers as well as getting three the old fashioned way.
"Missy has come back strong off her injury. She is hungry and her intensity is there," Smith said. "She fought her way back and even though she's not 100 percent yet, she been a huge spark for us in the last two games."
However, the Aztecs, who held the advantage in rebounds (38-37), assists (15-9) and turnovers (14-18), were never able to take the lead as the Rams seemed to find an answer for every SDSU push, despite being held to their second lowest point total of the season.
"If when can spread the intensity we showed tonight over a full 40-minute game I think we can beat anyone in the conference," said Smith. "I think that makes us a dangerous and very scary team."
As close as the final second's were, the opening minutes of the contest were all Colorado State as the Aztecs opened the game ice cold, making just one of its first 15 shots. The Rams took full advantage of SDSU's early misfortune, jumping out to a 16-2 lead during the game's first 11 minutes.
The Rams pushed their advantage to as many as 15 at the 4:28 mark, before the Aztecs scored seven of the half's final 10 points to trail 28-17 at the break, setting the stage for SDSU's dramatic second-period comeback bid.
San Diego State opens the second half of Mountain West Conference play on the Road at Utah on Thursday, Feb. 8. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m. (MST).