Dec. 19, 2013
Final Stats | Final Stats in PDF Format
SAN DIEGO - Bolstered by junior Khristina Hunter's (Fairfield, Calif.) second career double-double, the San Diego State women's basketball team snapped a two-game losing streak in a 75-64 triumph over Miami University (Ohio) Thursday at Viejas Arena.
Hunter scored a collegiate-best 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting to go with a game-high 12 rebounds, helping the Aztecs raise their record to 2-6 on the season. Meanwhile, the RedHawks suffered their second straight setback, falling to 3-7 overall.
Also aiding the SDSU winning effort was junior Ahjalee Harvey (Mountain View, Calif.), who posted career-highs of 16 points and seven steals, while senior Cierra Warren (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) and sophomore Deidra Smith (Aurora, Colo.) rounded out a balanced night on offense for the Scarlet and Black with 10 points apiece as Stacie Terry picked up her first victory at home as a head coach.
As a team, the Aztecs dominated the interior, maintaining a 47-29 rebounding advantage, including a hefty 26-5 margin on the offensive end, while outscoring Miami 44-8 in the paint. SDSU also flexed its muscle on defense with a season-high 16 steals, converting 26 RedHawk turnovers overall into 31 points.
Still, Miami hung tough, thanks in large part to a 10-for-24 performance (41.7 percent) from beyond the three-point arc. The Aztecs enjoyed their first halftime lead of the season at 31-26, but the RedHawks narrowed the gap to two at 35-33 following a triple by Haley Robertson with just two minutes elapsed in the second half.
However, SDSU quickly seized the momentum with 12 consecutive points over the ensuing 4:22, including five straight on a layup and a three-pointer by senior Danesha Long (Long Beach, Calif.) to build a 47-33 bulge with 13:38 remaining. The Aztecs led by as many as 15 points on four occasions over the next seven-plus minutes, including a 62-47 spread following a Warren layup at the 6:16 mark, before the Miami threw one last scare into SDSU's pre-holiday festivities.
Baskets by Jessica Rupright and Kindsay Brandt sandwiched around two Hannah Robertson free throws capped an 11-2 Miami run that trimmed the score to 64-58 with just 2:03 on the clock. However, the Aztecs responded with 7-0 spurt, punctuated by freshman Ariell Bostick's layup with 1:03 left to put the game out of reach at 71-58.
Brandt led the Redhawks with 15 points, while Hannah Robertson recorded 12 points and nine rebounds in the loss. Miami also received nine points on 3-for-3 shooting from behind the arc by Hannah McCue, while Haley Robertson and Nicole tallied seven points each.
McCue's only three-pointer in the first half gave the RedHawks their last lead of the contest at 20-18, before consecutive buckets by Long and Harvey nudged SDSU in front for good, 22-20, with 4:51 left in the period. The Aztecs overcame a cold start in which they missed their first eight field-goal attempts by shooting 18-for-39 (46.2 percent) from floor in the second half.
SDSU will break for the Christmas holiday, before returning action on Saturday, Dec. 28, against UC Riverside in the opening game of the San Diego Surf `N Slam at Viejas Arena. Game time is set for 2 p.m. PT, while the nightcap featuring Kansas State and North Carolina State follows at 4:30 p.m. PT.