Dec. 21, 2006
SAN DIEGO - Shanna Demus recorded a career-high 20 points and six steals to lead the San Diego State women's basketball team to its fifth-straight victory 64-53 over Pepperdine Thursday evening at Cox Arena. With the win, the Aztecs doubled their season win total from last year, improving to 6-3 overall, while the Waves dropped to 7-6 in 2006-07.
"Our team is becoming a team," SDSU head coach Beth Burns said. "If five people are doing the same thing, you're going to be successful. We're confident, but we are staying humble. Defense really sets the tone for what we do."
Demus (Palmdale, Calif.) recorded a career-high in points in her second consecutive outing after posting 19 in the team's win versus Saint Mary's on Dec. 10. Against the Waves, the junior forward was 5-for-7 from the field and a perfect 8-for-8 from the line, while also tallying six rebounds, two assists and the career-best six steals in 32 minutes.
"Shanna set the tone for us tonight," Burns said. "She helped everyone and was able to cover our errors. She kept forcing turnovers, because they never knew where she was going to come from next."
Demus was helped offensively by junior Jennifer Layton (Sacramento, Calif.), who scored 11 of her 15 points in the first half, and freshman Quenese Davis (Sacramento, Calif.), who tallied 10 of her 13 points in the second 20-minute. Davis added a team game-high five assists and senior center Desiree Johnson (Kahuku, Hawaii) had a career-high four steals for the Aztecs, who have combined for 65 steals in their last four outings.
SDSU scored the first two baskets of the game and led by 10 at the 12:06 mark on a three-pointer by Demus. The Aztec advantage grew to as many as 11 points twice in the first half, but the Waves used an 8-2 run heading into the locker room and trailed by just five, 32-27.
Pepperdine used that momentum in the beginning of the second half, knotting the game at 32 points apiece with just over 18 minutes left. Four straight free throws gave SDSU a four-point cushion, but the two schools continued to battle as Pepperdine got as close as three at 49-46. The Aztecs' tripled that lead on Erin Jackon's (Sparks, Nev.) rebound basket and made all four of their free throws in the final 2:32 to secure the 64-53 win.
Pepperdine had two players finish in double-figure points, including Miranda Ayim, who had 15 points on 7-for-8 shooting.
San Diego State has seven more days off before playing host to a four-team tournament, the San Diego Surf `N Slam, December 28 and 30 at Cox Arena. The Aztecs open the Dec. 28 with a 2 p.m. game against Brown, while George Washington faces Georgia at 4 p.m. in a match up between a pair of top-25 schools.