Feb. 14, 2004
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State women's basketball team shot 50 percent from the field, but could not overcome a second-half run by UNLV, as the Aztecs fell in a hard-fought battle, 65-56, Saturday at Cox Arena. With the loss, the Aztecs dropped to 7-14 overall and 2-6 in the Mountain West Conference, while UNLV improved to 17-4 and 6-2 in league action.
SDSU sophomore Ashlee Dunlap (Los Angeles, Calif.) poured in 10 of her game-high 18 points in the first half, shooting 9-for-14 overall from the field. Freshman Michelle Elliott (Pasco, Wash.) scored in double-figures for the 16th time this season, adding 11 points and four steals and playing all 40 minutes for the fifth time in 2003-04.
The game started with the two sides exchanging leads six times and tying the score on seven occasions, as no team led by more than four points until the final minute of the first half. San Diego State, sparked by a Dunlap steal, notched each of the last three buckets in the final 1:19 to head into the locker room up seven points, its largest lead of the game, at 31-24.
The Aztecs were unable to maintain that momentum in the start of the second half, as UNLV opened with an 18-2 run to go up by nine points, 42-33. SDSU cut the deficit all the way down to three points on two occasions with the last time being at 54-51 with 5:38 left in the contest. Each time the Aztecs would mount a rally, UNLV would answer back, scoring seven of the game's next 10 points to push out to a 10-point advantage at 63-53 and 64-54, before securing the nine-point victory, 65-56.
The Aztecs won the turnover battle (17-22), but were outrebounded 19-9 in the second half and shot only 10 percent from beyond the arc and 27 percent at the free-throw line.
UNLV had three players score in double-figures, including Sheena Moore, who put in 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field.
San Diego State heads out on the road for its next two contests, traveling to Colorado State Thursday, followed by a Saturday afternoon match-up at Wyoming.