Jan. 7, 2006
SAN DIEGO - In its first-ever Mountain West Conference overtime game, the San Diego State women's basketball fell to visiting Air Force, 63-59, Saturday afternoon at Cox Arena. With the loss, the Aztecs dropped to 3-9 overall and 0-2 in conference play, having lost both league contests by a combined seven points. Air Force improved to 10-3 on the season and 1-1 in MWC action and won its second straight versus SDSU in San Diego.
San Diego State senior Michelle Strawberry (Corona, Calif.) reached the 20-point mark for the third time this season, recording a game-high 22 points in a career-high 42 minutes. Strawberry matched her career high with four three-pointers, tallying three of those in the overtime period. She was helped offensively by classmate Veronica Shaw's (Phoenix, Ariz.) 17 points, while Desiree Johnson (Kahuku, Hawaii) had seven points and nine rebounds.
Air Force came out quickly in overtime, scoring the first bucket just 11 seconds into the extra period. The Falcons built a four-point advantage on their next possession, but saw it reduced to just one on a Shaw three-pointer. Air Force answered with the next four points and eventually led by as many as seven on the second of two free throws with just 38 second left in the contest, 60-53.
The 38 seconds were long enough for Strawberry to make two three-pointers and pull to within a pair at 61-59 with 19 seconds remaining. Air Force, however, made two of its four free throws in the final 15 seconds to escape with a 63-59 victory.
SDSU had a chance to win the game in regulation, as the Aztecs came out of a timeout with the score tied at 47 apiece and seven seconds left. Shaw, however, came off a screen and got her feet tangled up trying to drive to the basket and was called for traveling.
Air Force's Alecia Steele had 17 points, while Andrea Taylor scored seven of her 12 points in the extra period for the Falcons.
The Aztecs played without starting point guard Tamika Lipford (Oceanside, Calif.) for the second straight outing. Lipford, who started the season's first 10 games, strained a ligament in her right knee on Dec. 30, and will be reevaluated this Monday.
SDSU plays host to 22nd-ranked Utah next Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Cox Arena, before heading on the road for a Saturday match-up with the UNLV Lady Rebels at 7 p.m. at Cox Pavilion.