Dec. 29, 2003
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The San Diego State women's basketball team had a one-point lead with under two minutes remaining, but could not withstand a 6-2 run by Tennessee-Martin, falling to the Skyhawks, 59-56, in both schools' first game of the Lady Blazer Invitational at Bartow Arena. With the loss, the Aztecs fell to 4-6 overall, while the Skyhawks improved to 3-5 in 2003-04.
Aztec sophomore Ashlee Dunlap (Los Angles, Calif.) recorded her seventh double-double of the season, finishing with a team high 13 points and 11 rebounds in just 23 minutes of action. Dunlap was the only SDSU player in double-figures, as season leading scorer Michelle Elliott (Pasco, Wash.) and Courtney Fritz (Newberg, Ore.) both finished with eight points.
The Skyhawks took the early lead jumping out by eight points at 10-2, before SDSU went on a 8-0 run to knot the score at 10 apiece on field goals by four different Aztecs. UT-Martin did not relinquish its lead, going back up by as many as seven points at the 7:51 mark. SDSU would get to within two at 24-22 with the help of three straight points by freshman Erin Jackson (Sparks, Nev.), but went into the locker room down four at 28-24.
The Aztecs gained their first lead of the game by coming out of the half with the first eight points on a jumper by freshman Fritz and three straight baskets by Dunlap at 32-28. The SDSU lead was short-lived as the Skyhawks jumped back ahead on a layup underneath the basket by Leigh Ann Davidson at 34-33.
The schools continued to exchange the lead eight more times until UT-Martin went up by two points at 56-54 on a three-point field goal with 1:24 remaining. The Aztecs had a chance to take the lead in the final 20 seconds on an open three-pointer by Fritz, but she was unable to convert, as the Skyhawks scored three of the final five points to come away with the 59-56 victory.
SDSU could not overcome its 20 turnovers, including 13 in the first half, nor its 52.6 percent (10-for-10) free-throw shooting.
Skyhawk Julie Young led her team with 16 points and eight rebounds in the victory.
With the loss, San Diego State will face Brown in the tournament consolation game, slated for 3 p.m., (CST) at Bartow Arena. Brown fell 57-50 to tournament host UAB in a game played earlier Monday evening.