Feb. 14, 2002
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State had its defense working, but like it has since the start of conference play the lid remained on the Aztecs' basket as Wyoming escaped Cox Arena with a 53-43 victory before 346 Thursday night.
For the fifth time in the last six games, the Aztecs had at least 60 looks at the basket. However, once again SDSU was unable to convert its opportunities into points as the Aztecs shot just 30 percent for the game, including 26 percent in the second half when the contest was decided.
"We knew that with the way our defense is playing if we could just score we would be fine," said SDSU head coach Barb Smith. "We came out and played with confidence early on. But they made a little run at us and our confidence just evaporated."
Ashonda Williams scored 12 points, all in the first half, for San Diego State (9-13, 1-8 MWC) but no other Aztec was able to reach double digits. Jamey Cox finished with nine and Atim Otii added eight to pace the rest of the squad.
Carrie Bacon led Wyoming (11-11, 4-6 MWC) with 16 points, including 11 in the second half.
San Diego State played as good an opening 10 minutes as it has all season and looked as though it may run away and hide early on.
The Aztecs scored the game's first 10 points while holding Wyoming without a field goal until the 10:37 mark, and staked 20-7 lead with just under eight minutes to go in the period.
But Wyoming struck back, scoring 14 of the half's final 18 points to slice the Aztecs' lead to 24-21 at intermission.
The Cowgirls continued to roll after the break, jumping out to a six-point lead, before Tanisha Knight converted three straight lay-ups to fuel an 8-0 Aztec run and a 36-34 advantage with just over nine minutes to play.
But Bacon scored five of the game's next nine points and Wyoming took control down the stretch, hitting 6-of-7 free throws in the final two minutes to put the contest out of reach.
"Again our defense did a great job," said Smith, as the Aztecs came up with 14 steals and held the Cowgirls to just 38 percent shooting. "We've just got to be able to convert at the other end."
San Diego State will try to snap its four-game losing streak Saturday when the Aztecs wrap up their three-game home stand against Colorado State at 7:30 p.m.