Jan. 9, 2004
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State women's basketball team rounded out its non-conference schedule on a high note, defeating visiting Texas Pan-American, 59-38, in a rare Friday evening contest at Cox Arena. With the victory, the Aztecs improved to 5-8 overall, while the Broncs dropped to 7-8 in 2003-04.
Four Aztecs scored in double figures for the first time this season. Sophomore Ashlee Dunlap (Los Angeles, Calif.) fell one rebound short of her 10th double-double of the season, tallying a team-high 15 points and nine rebounds. Junior Lindsey Casey (Odessa, Texas) came off the bench to hit on 5-of-8 shots for 12 points, doubling her previous Aztec career high of six. Freshman Michelle Elliott (Pasco, Wash.) had 12 points and added five assists, while sophomore Michelle Strawberry (Corona, Calif.) recorded eight of her 11 points in the final period.
Dunlap tallied all of her 15 points in the first half, including the first eight Aztec points of the evening, guiding SDSU to an 8-2 lead 2:21 into the contest. The Broncs responded with an offensive sure of their own, going on a 9-1 run to take an 11-10 lead and stayed close the remainder of the first half, trailing the Aztecs at the half, 27-23.
SDSU bumped up its effort on both sides of the ball in the second half, starting with a 9-2 run to go up by 11 points at 36-25. The Aztecs then went on a 11-1 run sparked by a pair of free throws by Casey to run away with the game, eventually winning 59-38.
The 38 points allowed are the least the Aztecs have given up since Feb. 17, 2001, in a 57-30 win over Air Force. UTPA's 15, second-half points are also an SDSU opponent low, one fewer than the Aztecs gave up in a 51-40 win over UC Irvine earlier this season.
UTPA's Molly Schamel had a team-best 12 points in the losing effort.
San Diego State takes eight days off to prepare for its 2004 Mountain West Conference opener at UNLV on Jan. 17 at 7:35 p.m.