Feb. 23, 2008
PROVO, Utah - Mindy Nielson's lay-up with 32 seconds remaining turned out to be the game winner, as the San Diego State women's basketball team was unable to complete the season sweep over the host BYU Cougars, falling 46-43, Saturday at the Marriott Center. With the loss, the Aztecs dropped to 13-12 on the season and 4-9 in conference play, while the Cougars improved to 13-11 and 7-5 in MWC action.
Aztec sophomore guard Jené Morris (San Francisco, Calif.) scored in double-figures for the 11th time in league action, scoring a team-high 14 points, while also adding six assists in 36 minutes. Redshirt freshman Allison Duffy (Lakeside, Calif.) and freshman Paris Johnson (San Diego, Calif.) both had eight points, six rebounds and three steals, while junior Shannon Clay (Inglewood, Calif.) had eight boards to go with four points and three steals.
San Diego State scored five of the first six baskets of the game to go up by eight at 10-2 just under four and a half minutes into the contest. BYU posted a run of its own, scoring six straight points to get to within a pair at 10-8. The Aztecs maintained a small lead for most of the remainder of the half, until Cougar Mindy Nielson's lay-up put the home team ahead by one at 20-19 with 1:23 left. SDSU countered with a fall away jumper by LaSandra Dixon (Azusa, Calif.) to retake the lead at 21-20, but BYU's Cassie King made one of two free throws as the game was all square at 21-21 going into the locker room.
The Aztec offense struggled coming out of the break, going scoreless for the first 5:55 before Duffy could hit a jumper from the free-throw line. Luckily for SDSU, BYU wasn't any better offensively, as the Cougars scored just four points during that span. The Aztecs caught up to knot the game at 25-25 on two Morris free throws.
The contest was tied again at 33, 35, 37 and finally at 43 with under a minute left in the game. With the shot clock running down, BYU point guard Nielson hit a running lay-up off the glass with 32 seconds remaining. The Aztecs had a chance to tie the score the next time down the floor, but Morris' three-pointer from the right angle went in and out and SDSU was unable to get the rebound, as BYU's Ashley Cheesman hit one of two free throws to close out scoring, 46-43.
Mallary Carling had a game-high 20 points, including 12 in the second half, to lead BYU, which won despite shooting just 38.3 percent from the field and committing 25 turnovers.
SDSU heads back to San Diego for a televised contest Wednesday beginning at 8 p.m. at Cox Arena against UNLV. The game will be broadcast live on The Mtn. and a live audio feed will also be available on goaztecs.com.