Dec. 16, 2011
IRVINE, Calif. -
San Diego State-UC Irvine Final Box
San Diego State received a career game from junior center Malia Nahinu and three Aztecs scored in double figures to lead SDSU to a 76-57 victory over UC Irvine at Bren Events Center. The win lifts San Diego State's record to 5-4, while the Anteaters fall to 4-6.
Nahinu, who earned her first career start, finished with a career-high 16 points, a personal-record seven rebounds and a personal-best five blocked shots. Joining Nahinu in double figures was Kiyana Stamps and Courtney Clements. Stamps finished with 15 points and a career-high seven rebounds. Clements, meanwhile, added 17 points. Chelsea Hopkins dished out a career-high 12 assists to help the Aztecs snap a three-game losing skid.
The game was a defensive battle at the start as both teams struggled to score. Nahinu, however, got SDSU going and was effective early and often as she scored six of San Diego State's first 10 points. The Aztecs found their rhythm offensively midway through the first half and opened up a 10-point lead as they went on an 8-2 run. The aforementioned run was a part of an overall 14-4 spurt, which gave San Diego State its largest lead of the game, 14 points, with 7:32 left in the half.
The Aztecs carried their double-figure lead deep into the first half until UC Irvine's Cheyenne Cathey knocked down a three to trim SDSU's lead to nine points. Cathey's bucket was the beginning of an 8-0 spurt to end the half as San Diego State went into the locker room with a 34-30 lead.
SDSU started the second half as hot as the Anteaters ended the first and used a 14-3 run along with a stifling defense to extend its lead to 48-33 before the first media timeout. During the run, the Aztecs received five points apiece from Stamps and Clements and four from Kalena Tutt.
The scoring spree from Stamps and Clements was just a glimpse of what was to come later in the half. Stamps went on to score all of her 15 points in the second half, including nine off three-pointers. Clements, meanwhile, scored 13 of her 17 points in the final 20 minutes. The defense continued to be strong throughout the half especially in the final six minutes as the Aztecs limited UC Irvine to just six points to end the game. During that final six-minute stretch, San Diego State scored 13 points to provide the final margin.
SDSU outrebounded UCI, 47-36, and forced 19 turnovers. The Aztecs also held the Anteaters to just 29.5-percent shooting for the game, including 24.1 percent (7-for-29) in the second half.
The Aztecs, who had 10 players score at least two points, return to the hardwood on Wednesday, Dec. 21, they play host to another Big West Conference foe in Cal Poly. The game is set for 2 p.m. PT inside Viejas Arena.