Dec. 28, 2007
SAN DIEGO - Quinnipiac had nine three-pointers, including eight on 10 attempts in the first half, to defeat host San Diego State Friday, 78-59, in the opening game of the San Diego Surf `N Slam at Cox Arena. With the loss, the Aztecs dropped their second straight to fall to 8-3 on the year, while the Bobcats improved to 9-1 on the season following the two schools' first-ever meeting.
"Nothing that Quinnipiac did surprised us," said SDSU head coach Beth Burns. "There were a lot of things that our team did that surprised us. (After trailing early) the challenge for us was to get back in the game against a team that shoots so well and offensively, we struggled to make baskets. The only thing that can compound this loss is if we do not learn from it."
SDSU got a career-high 20 points from sophomore guard Jené Morris (San Francisco, Calif.), who made a team season-high four three-pointers on just six tries from beyond the arc. Two other Aztecs finished in double-figure scoring with Paris Johnson (San Diego, Calif.) tallying 15 points, while sophomore guard Quenese Davis (Sacramento, Calif.) had 12 points and a team-best seven rebounds and five assists.
The Aztecs were without junior guard Tamika Lipford (Oceanside, Calif.), who missed her first game in the last 37 outings. Lipford had 16 stitches in her left leg, after being cut by glass at a holiday brunch over the weekend for her alma mater, The Bishop's School. She averages 4.4 points per game and has 16 steals this season as a key reserve in just over 16 minutes per outing.
Quinnipiac opened the afternoon with a 5-0 run, including the first of eight triples in the half via Brianna Rooney. SDSU scored its first three points at the free-throw line, before finally making its first field goal at the 16:21 mark on a Johnson lay-up. The Bobcats followed up that basket by outscoring the Aztecs 21-2, making five triples during that span, to go up by 22 points at 29-7. SDSU cut its deficit down to 13 at 31-18, but went into the locker room trailing by 16 at 44-28.
The Aztecs made it interesting in the second half, getting to within 11 at 54-43 with 12:13 remaining, but the Bobcats immediately responded with 10 more points over the next four minutes to go up by 19, and never looked back, winning 78-59.
Quinnipiac was led by Mandy Pennewell's 23 points, as she was one of five Bobcats score 10 or more points. Nicole Duperron added 11 points and 12 boards for a double-double.
The Aztecs shot a season-low 31.6 percent from the field and were outrebounded by 10 (42-32). SDSU did manage to own a positive margin in both the turnover (22-16) and steals column (12-10), but the Bobcats shot an Aztec opponent season-high 55.4 percent from the field, which included a 60 percent mark from three-point land (9-for-15).
SDSU will play in the consolation game, scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday at Cox Arena, against Western Michigan, who fell to Seton Hall, 85-80, in the late game Friday afternoon. Quinnipiac and Seton Hall will square off in the championship contest at 4 p.m.
2007 San Diego Surf `N Slam (San Diego, Calif. - Cox Arena)
Friday, Dec. 28, 2007
Game 1: Quinnipiac def. San Diego State, 78-59
Game 2: Seton Hall def. Western Michigan, 85-80
Sunday, Dec. 30, 2007
Consolation Game: Western Michigan at San Diego, 2 p.m.
Championship Game: Seton Hall vs. Quinnipiac, 4 p.m.