Dec. 6, 2003
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - The San Diego State women's basketball team's three-game winning streak came to an end Saturday as the Aztecs fell at Cal State Northridge, 71-52, in non-conference action at The Matadome. With the loss, SDSU fell to 3-2 overall, while the Matadors tallied their first win of the season, improving to 1-2 in 2003-04.
Aztec sophomore Ashlee Dunlap (Los Angeles, Calif.) recorded her second straight double-double and her third of the season, finishing with a team-best 19 points and a season-high 15 rebounds. Freshman Michelle Elliott (Pasco, Wash.) tallied her fifth straight game in double-figures, adding 11 points.
The two sides opened the afternoon by trading leads until the Matadors went on an 8-0 run bolstered by three-pointers from Ciara Papac and Krisztrina Fuleki to go up by seven points at 17-10. SDSU also trailed by seven points at 20-13, before trips to the free-throw line resulted in four Aztec points to draw them to within three at 20-17.
Dunlap, who scored 13 of the team's 22 first-half points, would get the Aztecs back to their smallest deficit in over nine minutes, converting a one and the bonus to move the score to 23-22.
A 7-0 Cal State Northridge run gave it a 30-22 advantage heading into the locker room as SDSU struggled with a full-court press by the Matadors, committing 15 turnovers while taking only 16 shots from the field.
The Matadors continued their momentum in the second half, jumping out by as many as 16 as SDSU did not get its first points until Casey made a pair of free throws at 15:56.The Casey free throws sparked a 12-4 run to get the Northridge lead down to eight points.
The Matadors responded with a pair of buckets and pushed their lead back into double-figures. The Aztecs were able to chip away at the deficit, getting as close as six points at 53-47 and 55-49, before eventually falling, 71-52.
Cal State Northridge's La Joyce King finished with a team-best 21 points, including 15 points in the first 20 minutes.
The Aztecs head home to play host to cross-town rival University of San Diego, Wed., Dec. 10, at 7 p.m. at Cox Arena. SDSU will look to avenge last year's 72-53 loss at Jenny Craig Pavilion last year.