Dec. 28, 2001
SAN DIEGO - This one was over almost before it began.
San Diego State played its best first half of the season, then kicked things into overdrive during the second as the Aztecs routed Radford, 89-42, before 395 at Cox Arena Friday night.
It was the most points scored by SDSU since the Aztecs put up the same number versus San Jose State during the 1998-99 campaign and the largest margin of victory since thumping Fresno State by 62 in 1995.
" Tonight we showed what this team is capable of doing," said SDSU head coach Barb Smith. "We've been waiting for a breakout game just like this and we finally got it on both ends of the floor."
Claire Swinbank and Atim Otii led all scored with 14 points and Jamey Cox added 13 in the wire-to-wire San Diego State win. Ashonda Williams finished with 11 points and Valencia Howard pitched in with 10 as the Aztecs had five players score in double figures for the first time this season.
"There were times during this game when our offense has never looked better this season," said Smith, whose Aztecs shot a season-best 58 percent from the floor. "But we also were strong on the defensive end."
Radford's 42 points were the fewest scored by an SDSU opponent this season as San Diego State (6-5) limited the Highlanders (2-9) to just 30 percent shooting, recorded a season-high 21 steals and forced 31 turnovers.
SDSU also controlled the boards, out-rebounding Radford by 17 (41-26). Otii, Howard and Tanisha Knight combined to lead the Aztecs with six rebounds each.
"Rebounding and turnovers have been keys for us all season," Smith added. "We won both battles tonight."
San Diego State took control early in the game behind the inside-outside combination of Swinbank and Otii. Swinbank hit three mid-range jumpers and Otii added back-to-back lay-ups during an 11-2 run midway through the first half that gave the Aztecs a 23-11 lead 10 minutes into the game.
SDSU's advantage would reach 26 by intermission as the Aztecs scored 16 of the half's final 18 points, including a pair of jumpers and a lay-up by Tanisha Knight that gave the home team a 45-19 lead at the break.
The Aztecs kept pouring it on in the second half and lead by as many as 49 points twice in the final two minutes of the game.
Jesse Brunjak scored 13 points and Amanda Neby grabbed a game-high nine rebounds to lead the Highlanders, who dropped their fifth straight game.
San Diego State returns to action on Sunday, Dec. 30th, when the Aztecs host Detroit at 2 p.m.