Jan. 31, 2004
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The San Diego State women's basketball team continued its domination of conference foe Air Force, winning its eight straight over the Falcons, 51-46, Saturday in a wild ending at Clune Arena. With the victory, the Aztecs claimed its second Mountain West Conference win of the year, improving to 2-3 and 7-11 overall, while the Falcons fell to 3-15 and 0-5 in league play.
Sophomore Ashlee Dunlap (Los Angeles, Calif.), held scoreless for the first time in her career Thursday night, rebounded by tying her career high for points with 23 and adding 12 boards for her MWC-leading 11th double-double of the season and the 21st of her career. Dunlap was helped offensively by Veronica Shaw (Phoenix, Ariz.), who chipped in nine points and a season high six assists before fouling out. Freshman Courtney Fritz (Newberg, Ore.) also contributed a career best eight boards, as SDSU set a team season high for rebounds with 47.
The Aztecs got off to a better start then their Thursday night contest at New Mexico, bolting out to a 5-0 advantage on a pair of lay-ups by Nicolette McCartny (Chicago, Ill.) and Dunlap and a free throw by Veronica Shaw leading into the first media timeout.
The Falcons immediately knotted the score on their next two possessions with their first points coming on a three-pointer by Shawna Neff over four minutes into the contest. Air Force's first lead at 7-6 was short-lived, as SDSU responded with a 12-4 run, including two Fritz three-pointers, to go up by seven at 18-11.
The Aztecs would lead by as many as 10 points at 21-11 and headed into the locker room up seven at 25-18, the fourth time this season SDSU has held an opponent to 20 points or less in the first half.
The two sides traded baskets to open the second, 20-minute period until a 5-1 run put the Aztec lead back into double-figures at 33-23. SDSU kept a safe distance between it and Air Force, as the Falcons would get only as close as seven points twice at 33-26 and 35-38.
The Aztecs led by a game-high 13 points at 46-33, as Dunlap put back her own miss with under five minutes remaining in the contest. The latter portion of the game turned into a free-throw shooting contest as Air Force closed to within six points twice at 46-40 and 48-42, before a three-point field goal by Letricia Castillo with under a minute remaining put the Falcons down by just three at 48-45.
After a turnover by both squads, sophomore Michelle Strawberry (Corona, Calif.) made the second of her two free-throw attempts with 19.5 seconds remaining. Air Force freshman Ashley Cwiakala then was fouled by Fritz with 14.2 seconds left, converting 1-of-2, before Strawberry went back to the line. Strawberry, however, missed the pair of free throws, but was rescued by Dunlap, who put the second miss back in, securing the 51-46 victory.
Air Force had three players reach double-figures in scoring and were led by Amoy Jackson's 12 points.
San Diego State returns home for its longest conference homestand of the season, starting Thursday against MWC leader Utah at Cox Arena, beginning at 7:00 p.m.