Nov. 12, 2005
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State women's basketball team used a dominating second-half effort to down the Arizona Venom, 82-55, Saturday in an exhibition game at Cox Arena. With the victory, the Aztecs (1-1) split their pair of exhibition contests for the sixth time in the last seven seasons.
"We really strive to be aggressive and I don't think we accomplished that goal in the first 20 minutes," SDSU head coach Beth Burns said. "We were disappointed in our first-half performance, but what I was most pleased with was how the starting five responded in the first five minutes of the second half. (Desiree) Johnson got all over the glass, and our players really concentrated and finished."
SDSU senior Michelle Strawberry (Corona, Calif.) scored a game-high 21 points, including 13 in the second half. Sophomore Shanna Demus (Palmdale, Calif.) and senior Veronica Shaw (Phoenix, Ariz.) were also in double-figures, adding 11 and 10 points respectively. Junior Desiree Johnson (Kahuku, Hawaii) led the Aztecs on the glass with 12 rebounds and Shaw recorded six steals in just 24 minutes of action.
San Diego State led by just six at the break, 36-30, but quickly distanced themselves from the Arizona Venom, a team of former collegiate players. The Aztecs used a 7-0 run in the first minute and a half and never looked back, going up by as many as 31 points on a Johnson free throw at 71-40 with 6:26 remaining. The Venom would cut the deficit to 22 points at 77-55, before falling 82-55.
The Arizona Venom, who had 45 turnovers in the game, were led by Heather Wyatt's 19 points and Juanita Mebane's nine rebounds and five blocks.
San Diego State will officially open its 2005-06 campaign on the road next week, as the Aztecs travel to Wichita State to face the Shockers on Sat., Nov. 19 at 11 a.m. PST.