SAN DIEGO – In a game that featured 13 lead changes and nine ties, the San Diego State women’s basketball team (19-4, 13-1) outlasted Colorado State (18-7, 9-5) 64-61 inside Viejas Arena Wednesday evening. The Aztecs’ win coupled with UNLV losing to Wyoming gives SDSU a two-game lead for first place in the Mountain West with six games left to play.
Neither team led by more than four points until SDSU went up six with 2:35 remaining. The Aztecs held the Rams to 3-for-13 shooting in the fourth quarter, while shooting 7-for-14 themselves to pull away late.
“What a fun game,” Head coach Stacie Terry-Hutson said after the game. “I’m very proud of our team. Our defense carried us in the fourth quarter.”
Three Aztecs scored 14 or 15 points. Kaelyn Hamilton matched her career-high of 15 points that she set at CSU earlier this season. 11 of her 15 came in the second half. Naomi Panganiban and Nala Williams each had 14 points.
Maria Konstantinidou played a season-high 25 minutes and had seven rebounds, two blocks and hit a midrange jumper down the stretch in the fourth quarter.
“Maria works really hard and we tell all our players to be ready for your opportunity, and she came in and literally changed the game for us,” Terry-Hutson praised.
When these two teams met in Fort Collins two weeks ago, SDSU held an 18-14 lead at the halftime break, but on Wednesday night the Aztecs were up 18-16 at the end of the first quarter.
Both teams traded 7-0 runs, but neither team could pull away. The difference in the game was the Aztecs holding CSU to just one field goal in the final four minutes of the game.
The Rams had the ball trailing by three and had two looks from three in the final 10 seconds but missed both and the final one was blocked by Williams.
The Aztecs shot 44 percent from the field and held Colorado State to a 38 percent clip.
Lexus Bargesser led the Rams with 16 points.
STAT OF THE GAME I
The Aztecs had nine turnovers in the first half, but just three in the second half.
STAT OF THE GAME II
SDSU outrebounded the Rams 38-26. The Aztecs are 13-0 when they outrebound their opponent.
THE NOTE
SDSU earned the season sweep against the Rams and both games came down to the final possession.
QUOTE OF THE GAME
“We talk about strength and hope and playing for something bigger than yourself and I thought we did a good job of that tonight.” Head coach Stacie Terry-Hutson on the importance of the Play4Kay game
UP NEXT
The Aztecs play at Nevada Saturday at 1 p.m.