Dec. 30, 2007
Final Stats | Postgame Interview
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State women's basketball team rounded out its non-conference schedule by holding on to defeat Western Michigan 77-72 Sunday in the consolation game of the San Diego Surf `N Slam at Cox Arena. With the victory, the Aztecs finished 1-1 in its own tournament, improving to 9-3 on the season. The Broncos fell to 3-10 on the year following the first-ever meeting between the two sides.
"Third place games are always interesting, because both teams come in with a little disappointment," SDSU head coach Beth Burns said. "We did as much as we could to make sure we made adjustments. It was critical for us to head to TCU with a win in our pocket."
The Aztecs got 25 points, including 14 in the first half, from freshman center Paris Johnson (San Diego, Calif.), who was named to the six-player all-tournament team. Johnson was helped offensively by senior Kate Eveland's (Southlake, Texas) season-high 16 points and freshman Allison Duffy's (Lakeside, Calif.) 14 points. Duffy was one rebound short of her third double-double of the season with a team-best nine and also tallied four of SDSU's nine steals.
The host logged the first basket of the afternoon by Johnson, but the Broncos responded with five straight points for the 5-2 lead. SDSU then went on a 7-0 run to retake the lead at 9-5. The Aztecs stayed ahead for the remainder of the first half, going up by as many as 19 points at 36-17 with 3:41 left, before heading into the locker room up 12 at 40-28.
Western Michigan came out of the break with the first four points to cut its deficit to single-digits at 40-32 at the 19:22 mark. The Broncos took advantage of San Diego State's foul trouble, getting to within four on two occasions within the first 10 minutes. At 62-56, the visitors scored nine straight points to jump ahead by three on a Chandra Smith triple.
The lead switched hands three more times and the game was tied at 71 all with just 3:16 left. Coming out of the tie, SDSU got back-to-back baskets from its two freshmen front court players, Duffy and Johnson, and never trailed again, winning by five points, 77-72.
San Diego State was outshot (47.3 to 46.9) and outrebounded (39-34), but forced Western Michigan into 23 turnovers. The Aztecs have won the turnover battle in all but one game this season and also added 22 assists in the victory.
Western Michigan was led by Molly Dwyer's 16 points, while guard Tiera Delahoussaye had 11 points and six assists to earn a spot on the all-tournament team. The other honorees included Quinnipiac's Brianna Rooney and Mandy Pennewell and Seton Hall's Ela Mukosiej and Noteisha Womack, who was named MVP after leading the Pirates to an 69-64 overtime win over Quinnipiac in the championship contest.
The Aztecs will take the week off before opening Mountain West Conference action on Jan. 9, at TCU beginning at 6:30 p.m. CT at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum in Ft. Worth, Texas.
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: San Diego State def. Western Michigan, 77-72
Championship Game: Seton Hall def. Quinnipiac, 69-64 (OT)
All-Tournament Team:
Paris Johnson, San Diego State
Tiera Delahoussaye, Western Michigan
Brianna Rooney, Quinnipiac
Mandy Pennewell, Quinnipiac
Ela Mukosiej, Seton Hall
Noteisha Womack, Seton Hall - MVP