Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
7-5 1-0MWC
San Diego State
3-8 0-1MWC
Rams Hold Off Aztecs in Conference Opener
1/5/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 5, 2006
The Colorado State women's basketball team opened up Mountain West play with a 68-65 victory of the San Diego State Aztecs on Thursday night at Moby Arena. The Rams improved to 7-5 (1-0 MWC) on the season while the Aztecs dropped to 3-8 (0-1 MWC).
The Rams remained in control for the majority of the game as the Aztecs led for only two minutes, nine seconds, all in the first half. Colorado State, however, turned the ball over 23 times and was unable to blow the game open. Senior Melissa Dennett once again led the charge for the Rams, posting 21 points on 7-for-12 shooting and pulled down eight rebounds.
The Rams took a three point lead, 31-28 at the half, thanks to a quick start by sophomore Sara Hunter, who scored 11 points, all in that first half. Hunter also tallied a team-high six assists on the night.
The Rams captured their largest lead of nine points, 43-34, just five minutes into the final frame as they began the half on a 10-4 run, but the Aztecs battled back, as they had done all night to tie the game at 49 midway through the second half. Senior guard Veronica Shaw took the Aztecs on her shoulders, opening up the second half by scoring 13 of the team's fist 17 points, en route to a career-high 22 points and eight rebounds.
While Dennett and Hunter had provided the Rams offensive spark for most of the game, combining for 21 of the teams 31 first-half points, it was senior guard Vanessa Espinoza who protected the Rams second-half lead with a hot hand from three point range. The Aztecs struggled back to within one possession of the Rams on three occasions in the second half, only to have Espinoza knock down a three pointer on the Rams' next possession, the biggest of which came with just 41.1 second remaining in the game to push the CSU lead back to five points. Espinoza finished the game with 13 points, nine in the second half, preserving the Rams' victory.
As a team, the Rams shot 45.8 percent (22-for-48) from the floor, while holding the Aztecs to just 41 percent shooting but turned the ball over seven more times than the Aztecs on the night, allowing the game to remain close.
Next up, the Rams will host the No. 20/21 ranked New Mexico (11-3, 1-0 MWC) Lobos on Saturday night at Moby Arena. The game is slated to tip at 7 p.m.
