Dec. 30, 2008
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SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Jene Morris' late surge was too much for No. 4 Texas on Tuesday night.
Morris and San Diego State stunned No. 4 Texas with a 60-55 win on Tuesday night in the Surf `N Slam championship game, handing the Longhorns their first loss of the season.
Morris scored 24 points, including 15 in the second half when San Diego State (9-3) refused to let Texas pull away.
"This is as good as it gets," San Diego State coach Beth Burns said. "How many people get an opportunity to play the great teams?"
The result was far different from earlier this season when the Aztecs were routed at top-ranked Connecticut 99-55 or when then-No. 25 Iowa State handed San Diego State a 87-71 loss.
"The difference was we came into this game thinking we could beat them," Morris said. "We had confidence that we didn't have against those other teams."
Morris almost single-handedly kept San Diego State in the game in the second half when she hit three 3-pointers. But it was late baskets by Jennifer Layton-Bailes and Paris Johnson that put the Aztecs ahead to stay.
Texas (11-1) played a sloppy game as it committed 23 turnovers and never seemed to get into an offensive rhythm.
"It was very disappointing the way we played the game," Texas' Ashley Lindsey said. "Twenty-three turnovers, that's not us. We might have a bad game, but this should not have been one of them."
The Longhorns led from the midway point of the first half until Layton-Bailes scored on a layup for a 53-52 San Diego State lead with 1:51 left.
Johnson followed with another layup with 1:08 left. Two free throws by Quenese Davis put the Aztecs ahead 57-52 with 19 seconds remaining.
Carla Cortijo, who led the Longhorns with 13 points, hit a 3-pointer that pulled Texas to within 57-55 with 11.9 seconds left. Johnson then hit a free throw with 10.6 seconds left before Erika Arriaran missed a 3-pointer with two seconds left that would have tied the game.
Morris tied her career high with eight steals for San Diego State, which won despite shooting 33.9 percent.
Texas had a 10-point lead twice early in the second half but couldn't put away the Aztecs.
"I thought they played tremendous defense and put on great pressure," Texas coach Gail Goestenkors said. "But I expected more of us. I felt like we would play with more poise. Normally we handle it better."