Jan. 21, 2009
ALBUQUERQUE -
SDSU at UNM Box Scores in PDF Format
The San Diego State women's basketball team held on in a furious final few minutes, logging the program's first victory at New Mexico in nearly 14 years, defeating the 23rd-ranked Lobos, 57-52, Wednesday evening in front of 7,657 fans at The Pit. With the win, the Aztecs ended a 19-game New Mexico win streak in the series and handed the Lobos their first loss at home this season following an 11-0 start. SDSU improved to 12-4 on the year, including two victories over top 25 teams, and 3-1 in league play, while the Lobos dropped to 14-3 and 3-1 in MWC action.
"(The win) means a lot for this team," Aztec head coach Beth Burns said. "For our team, we've taken care of (the games) we're supposed to have taken care of, but to take the next step, we have to beat the New Mexicos, the Utahs, the TCUs and the BYUs when we get to league (play). This was just a huge, huge confidence booster. There aren't too many places in basketball that are more fun to win at than The Pit."
Sophomore Paris Johnson (San Diego, Calif.) recorded her sixth double-double of the year with a game-high 17 points and 11 rebounds, but more importantly, sunk a pair of free throws with just three seconds remaining to secure the win.
"Paris (Johnson) really heated up in the second half," Burns said. "For Paris to be able to ice the game in the single-bonus with two free throws was just huge (for her confidence)."
Junior guard Quenese Davis (Sacramento, Calif.) was the only other Aztec in double-figures with 11 points, including a 3-for-5 effort from beyond the arc. Davis had a team-best five assists, Johnson had three blocked shots and Jennifer Layton-Bailes (Sacramento, Calif.) and Jené Morris (San Francisco, Calif.) each added nine points apiece.
After the two sides traded baskets to open the game, the Aztecs hit back-to-back three pointers on consecutive trips up the floor by Quenese Davis and Morris to take an 8-2 lead heading into the first media timeout. The Lobos responded with a 10-0 run as the SDSU struggled to get into its offense.
The Aztecs finally got back on the scoreboard on a Morris lay-up at the 11:34 mark, after going over five minutes between buckets. The Morris score sparked an 11-0 run, as SDSU once again took the lead at 19-12.
The Lobos broke their own drought with a jumper and a free throw to get back to within four at 21-17. SDSU found its inside game over the next two minutes, as another Quenese Davis three-pointer preceded a Johnson free throw and back-to-back lay-ups in the paint to give the visitors their biggest lead of the night at 29-17.
UNM stormed back and the Aztec advantage shrunk to just four heading into the half at 33-29.
The Lobos scored eight of the first 10 points out the break all on lay-ups to reclaim the lead at 37-35, but SDSU got a three-pointer from junior Kim Spinardi (Merced, Calif.), just her second of the season, to once again move out ahead, 38-37.
Following a pair of ties and two more lead changes, the Aztecs built a pair of six-point advantages and later an eight-point edge at 53-45 on a Johnson lay-up with 4:29 remaining.
UNM crept to within a pair with 55 seconds left, but an amazing steal from behind by Morris gave the Aztecs a four-point advantage. The Lobos had a chance to equalize on a three-pointer their next trip up the court, but Layton-Bailes blocked the attempt from the right angle and Johnson secured the rebound. Layton-Bailes missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with four seconds on the clock, but Johnson once again got the board, was fouled and then proceeded to sink to free throws for the 57-52 win
Both teams shot under 40 percent from the field with SDSU earning a 6-2 edge from beyond the arc. The Lobos outrebounded the Aztecs by 10 for the game, but the visitors won the battle on the boards in the second half, 20-19.
New Mexico was led by Amy Beggin's 13 points, while Amanda Best contributed 11 points and seven rebounds in the loss.
SDSU returns to San Diego for a 2 p.m. game Saturday at Cox Arena against BYU. The Aztecs will celebrate Girls and Women In Sports Day, as well as NCAA Pack The House Challenge Day. Chris Ello will have the live audio/video call of the game on SDSU's official website, www.goaztecs.com.