Feb. 13, 2016
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. -- Behind sophomore McKynzie's Fort's (Fontana, Calif) 16 points and some timely three-point shooting, the San Diego State women's basketball team won its third straight game on Saturday with a hard-fought 69-66 triumph over Air Force at Clune Arena.
SDSU shot a season-best 54.5 percent from the field (24-44), including a 57.1 percent clip (8-14) from beyond the arc, while maintaining a 33-27 rebounding advantage to help the Scarlet and Black capture its 12th consecutive victory over the Falcons (1-23, 1-12 MW).
However, Air Force nearly pulled off the upset thanks to the 1-2 combo of Cortney Porter (25 pts) and Sarah Cantu (20 pts), who combined for 45 of the team's 66 points. The Falcons matched the Aztecs with 24 field goals on the night, connecting on 40.7 percent of attempts from the floor while forcing 17 SDSU turnovers.
Leading 65-55 with just 3:26 left in the game following a layup by junior Kylie Herd (Phoenix, Ariz.), the Aztecs survived some anxious moments down the stretch after Air Force engineered an 11-2 spurt to cut the deficit to 67-66 with seven seconds to go. Porter scored four points during the run on a jumper and two free throws, while Cantu drained a triple.
Following an Aztec timeout, Fort calmly sank two free throws with 4.9 seconds remaining to provide for the margin of victory. The Falcons had one last chance to send the contest into overtime, but Porter's desperation three-point attempt caromed harmlessly off the glass.
In addition to Fort's effort, SDSU received 10 points from Deidra Smith (Aurora, Colo.), including a clutch jumper from the top of the key with 1:33 to go in the game. Lexy Thorderson (Castle Rock, Colo.) also came up huge with 9 points on three triples, while junior Kymberly Ellison (Columbus, Ga.) and sophomore Geena Gomez (Huntington Beach, Calif.) finished with seven points apiece.
The Aztecs fashioned their biggest lead of the evening at 33-17 after Fort sank a jumper with 6:34 remaining in the second quarter. Air Force responded with 12 straight points over the next three minutes and change to climb back into contention. SDSU countered with a 7-0 run of its own, highlighted by Fort's old-fashioned three-point play followed by a quick steal and a layup by senior Ahjalee Harvey (Mountain View, Calif.). However, the Falcons closed the period with a 5-0 surge over the final 1:20 to give the contest its 40-34 score at intermission.
Air Force narrowed the gap to 44-41 in the third quarter after Porter converted an and-one opportunity at the 7:37 mark. The Aztecs managed to keep the Falcons at bay for the remainder of the period, building a pair of 10-point bulges, including a 56-46 spread following two Cheyenne Greenhouse (Riverside, Calif.) free throws with 1:56 to go.Air Force maintained its composure, however, as Porter tallied a layup and two free throws to trim the margin to 56-50.
SDSU opened the fourth quarter with five straight points, capped by Thorderson's triple at the 7:26 mark that seemingly put the visitors in control. However, Cantu promptly drilled a three-pointer of her own to short-circuit the Aztecs' momentum and help set the stage for a nail-biting finish.
San Diego State will enjoy an open date before returning to action on Saturday, Feb. 20, when it plays host to San Jose State at Steve Fisher Court. The MW clash, which gets underway at 2 p.m. PT, will mark the Aztecs' annual "Play4Kay" game to highlight breast cancer awareness.