Feb. 2, 2011
SAN DIEGO - In a game featuring eight lead changes and two tie scores in the final 15 minutes, the San Diego State women's basketball team once again found itself on the short end of another close contest, falling 56-51, Wednesday to visiting Colorado State at Viejas Arena. The loss is the squad's 10th this season of 10 or fewer points and moved them to 8-12 overall and 2-6 in league action, while the Rams snapped SDSU's six-game series win streak, improving to 12-9 and 5-3 to finish out the first round of MWC play.
Despite the loss, Aztec senior Paris Johnson (San Diego, Calif.) became the school's all-time career leader in blocked shots, notching three on the night to give her 252 in her career. She surpassed the previous record of 251 held by Michelle Suman, who starred on The Mesa from 1992-95. Johnson also was the only Aztec to score in double-figures vs. the Rams, shooting 5-for-10 from the floor and 6-for-8 at the free-throw line to finish with 16 points.
SDSU sophomore Courtney Clements (Long Beach, Calif.) came off the bench for the first time this year to score eight points, while senior Jessika Bradley (Sacramento, Calif.) had eight rebounds and senior Coco Davis (Sacramento, Calif.) tallied seven of the team's 14 assists.
Colorado State had the hot hand early, racing out to a quick 7-0 lead by hitting three of its first four shots. The Aztecs finally got on the board close to three minutes into the contest and trailed by three points three times. The Rams pushed out to what would be the game's largest advantage at 30-22, but Clements immediately responded with a lay-up in the paint to make it a six-point game with 5:48 left.
Clements' bucket would be the final field goal by either side the remainder of the half, as a Johnson free throw was the only point scored with CSU heading into the locker room up 30-25.
The Aztecs made a pair of 3-pointers after the break to close the gap to just one and knotted the score at 34 before owning their first lead, 35-34, on a free-throw by junior Sajoyia Griffin (San Antonio, Texas). The advantage changed hands seven more times over the next nine and a half minutes with the Rams going up by one at 47-46 on a lay-up at the 4:18 mark.
SDSU trailed by as many as five points in the final minute, but got a triple from Clements to get to within a single possession at 53-51. Colorado State, however, made three of its four free-throw attempts to close out the 56-51 victory.
The Aztecs shot just over 35 percent from the field and were only 5-for-21 from beyond the arc, while Colorado State shot close to 50 percent, converting 22-of-45 shot attempts.
CSU was led by Kim Mestdagh's 22 points and five steals, while freshman Sam Martin added 12 points.
SDSU begins the second round of conference play Saturday, when it takes on second-place TCU at Noon PT/2 p.m. MT at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. The game will be televised live on The Mtn.