Feb. 7, 2004
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State women's basketball team finished out the first round of conference play with an 82-50 loss to visiting Brigham Young Saturday at Cox Arena. With the loss, the Aztecs fell to 7-13 overall and 2-5 in the MWC, while the Cougars improved to 12-9 overall and 2-5 in league play.
SDSU had three players reach double-figures in scoring, including freshman Michelle Elliott (Pasco, Wash.), who finished with a career high 21 points on 7-for-13 shooting from the field. Sophomore Ashlee Dunlap (Los Angeles, Calif.) chipped in 11 points and classmate Michelle Strawberry (Corona, Calif.) added 10 points with eight coming in the second half. Senior Nicolette McCartny (Chicago, Ill.) tallied a team-best six rebounds and added one block to become the fifth player in Aztec history to record 100 blocks or more in their career.
The Aztecs started the game behind by eight points at 11-3 at the 13:40 mark of the first half. SDSU then rallied to take its first and only lead of the night at 14-13 as a Dunlap lay-up capped a 11-2 run. A basket by Cougar Danielle Cheesman put BYU up again at 15-14, before an Elliott free throw equalized the score at 15-15.
For the second straight game, however, SDSU was unable to withstand an offensive rally by its opponent in the final minutes of the first half, as the Cougars outscored the Aztecs 16-4 to go into the locker room up by 12 points at 31-19.
BYU maintained its offensive run into the second, 20-minute period, leading by as many as 35 points with the help of 67 percent shooting from the field, 50 percent from beyond the arc and 80 percent at the free throw line.
The Cougars were led by Chessman and Nancy Seljaas' 13 points apiece, while Ambrosia Anderson tallied 12 in 16 minutes.
San Diego State rounds out its three-game homestand with a Saturday contest (Feb. 14) against travel partner UNLV at 5 p.m. at Cox Arena.