Dec. 19, 2002
SAN DIEGO - In the first-ever meeting between the two schools, the San Diego State women's basketball team defeated the American Eagles, 62-45, Thursday night at Cox Arena. With the win, the Aztecs snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 3-4 on the season. The Eagles, meanwhile, dropped to 6-3 overall following the non-conference game.
Forward Ashlee Dunlap (Los Angeles, Calif.) led the Aztecs with a career-high 18 rebounds, the most by a Mountain West Conference player this season. The freshman also scored a team-high 17 points, notching her fourth double-double of the season, also a conference best.
Dunlap was helped by junior Nicolette McCartny (Chicago, Ill.), who posted her first career double-double with 13 boards and 11 points. Sophomore guard Heather Wolf (Stayton, Ore.) had a career-high eight assists, while two other Aztecs finished with double-digit point totals.
The Aztecs took the early lead in the game, holding the Eagles to just two points in the first five minutes of action. Senior Ashonda Williams (Crockett, Calif.), making her first start of the season, scored SDSU's first three baskets to put the team up 7-2.
McCartny then took over the scoring duties, adding to the team's led with two field goals and a free throw, advancing the lead to 10 points at 12-2.
With just under 10 minutes remaining in the first half, San Diego State scored eight unanswered points, capped by a Dunlap lay-up that gave the Aztecs a 15-point advantage, 26-11.
SDSU would later lead by as many as 17 points in the first half, before heading into the locker room up by 14 at 32-18.
After shooting 39.4 percent in the first half, the Aztec offense went cold early in the second as it took nearly seven minutes before SDSU would add to its lead when senior Jamey Cox (Waterloo, Iowa) buried a three-pointer at 13:04.
Despite the early scoring drought, the Aztecs held on to their lead, never allowing American to come as close as six points, eventually winning, 62-45.
SDSU will look to even its record as the Aztecs' four-game home stand continues Sunday versus non-conference foe Creighton University. The game is set for a 2:05 p.m., tip-off at Cox Arena.