Jan. 9, 2013
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SAN DIEGO - Despite a late second-half rally, the San Diego State women's basketball team came up short in an 80-72 defeat at the hands of visiting Fresno State on Wednesday in the Mountain West opener for both teams at Viejas Arena.
The quartet of Courtney Clements (Long Beach, Calif.), Chelsea Hopkins (Las Vegas, Nev.), Deajanae Scurry (Los Angeles, Calif.) and Erimma Amarikwa (Vacaville, Calif.) combined for 61 of the Aztecs' 72 points, but it wasn't enough as the Bulldogs drained nine 3-point field-goals, including a 6-for-12 clip in the first half, and sank 15 of 18 free throw attempts to pull away for the win.
SDSU (9-5, 0-1 MW) maintained a 52-32 advantage in the paint and a 41-36 edge in rebounds, but was unable to withstand a 29-10 Fresno State run that stretched over 11 minutes from the end of the first half through the start of the second.
Individually, Clements finished with a game-high 20 points and four steals, while Hopkins notched her fourth double-double in the last five games with 18 points and 10 assists. The Aztec cause was also aided by Scurry, whose 12 points matched a season best, while Amarikwa reached double figures as well with 11 points of her own to go with seven boards.
On the flip side, the Bulldogs (9-5, 1-0 MW) were paced by Alex Sheedy, who tallied 18 points, including a 4-for-4 effort from beyond the arc, while reigning MW Player of the Week Taylor Thompson added 16 points, highlighted by an 8-for-8 performance at the free-throw line. In addition, Ki-Ki Moore completed a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Rosie Moult tallied 12 points and handed out five assists.
Despite misfiring on 10 of its first 11 field-goal attempts, SDSU kept things close and eventually nudged in front by a 15-14 count with 10 minutes elapsed in the first half, following a 3-pointer and a layup by Clements on consecutive possessions. However, Fresno State responded with a quick 10-2 spurt capped by Moore's old-fashioned 3-point play to take the lead for good at 24-17 with 8:27 left on the clock.
The Aztecs trimmed the margin to one on two occasions, including a 26-25 spread after a Hopkins layup at the 4:33 mark. That would be as close as the Scarlet and Black would get the rest of the way, however, as the Bulldogs closed the half with a 12-2 rush, fueled by a trio of 3-pointers, to build a 37-27 bulge by intermission.
Fresno State maintained the momentum after the break and extended the margin to 20 at 55-35 on a layup by Jacinta Vandenberg with 15:08 remaining. SDSU fought back valiantly over the next four-plus minutes, cutting the deficit to 10 on three different occasions, including a 59-49 margin following a Hopkins bucket at the 9:03 mark. However, the Bulldogs repeatedly answered each Aztec threat with a clutch shot, beginning with Bree Farley's triple on the ensuing possession. Moments later, Thompson drove the lane and converted a layup, giving the visitors a seeming comfortable 64-49 advantage with 7:21 to go.
SDSU flashed its mettle over the ensuing six minutes as a layup by Hopkins and 3-pointer by Clements punctuated a 17-9 surge that pulled the host school to within seven at 73-66 with 1:15 left on the clock. However, time was the enemy of the Aztecs at this juncture as Thompson sank all six of her free throws down the stretch to help ice the game.
SDSU will return to the court on Sunday, Jan. 13, when it travels to the Rockies for a clash with Colorado State, beginning at 2 p.m MT/1 p.m. PT. The game will be televised live on CBS College Sports Network.