Nov. 19, 2005
WICHITA, Kan. -
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Despite a career-high 29 points by senior forward Michelle Strawberry, the San Diego State women's basketball team fell to Wichita State Saturday afternoon, 91-79, in both teams' season-opener at the Charles Koch Arena. With the loss, the Aztecs opened the second Beth Burns era with an 0-1 record, while the Shockers improved to 1-0 in the first all-time meeting between the two schools.
Strawberry's (Corona, Calif.) 29 points are the most by an Aztec in a game since Jamey Cox had 30 against Cal State Fullerton in 1999. She ended up 12-for-21 (both career highs) from the floor, beating her previous career-best point total of 23, which she logged last February in a win at Air Force. Strawberry has now scored 20 or more points in a game three times in the last two seasons and added a team-best seven rebounds versus Wichita State.
Strawberry was helped offensively by classmate senior guard Veronica Shaw (Phoenix, Ariz.), who scored 14 of her 16 points in the final 20 minutes of action. Freshman forward Jana Heinrich (Fischbach, Germany) tallied 12 points in her Aztec debut, while freshman Tamika Lipford (Oceanside, Calif.) had a team-high five steals and five assists.
SDSU opened the afternoon by going up by as many as six points on five occasions, including with 5:25 remaining in the first half at 24-18. Wichita State, however, would go on a 20-5 run to go into the locker room up 38-29.
The Shockers would use that momentum into the second half, increasing their lead out to as many as 21 points at 67-46. The Aztecs wouldn't go away quietly as the deficit trickled from 15 points with 1:29 left all the way down to just eight at 86-68 and again at 87-79 with under a minute remaining. Four straight free throws by Shocker Whitney Rice would close out the game and any hope of a late Aztec comeback at 91-79.
SDSU shot 43.8 percent from the floor, had a plus-10 advantage in turnovers and a 16-9 margin in steals, but could not overcome a 55-33 deficit in rebounds, a 23.5 shooting percentage from beyond the arc and a 40.7 percent performance at the free-throw line.
Wichita State was led by Kiki Stephens' 22 points and 12 rebounds. Three other Shockers also finished with double-figure points, including Daria Frazier, who had 14 points.
San Diego State will head back to Cox Arena for its 2005-06 home opener versus cross-town rival University of San Diego Tuesday night at 7 p.m.