Junior Danielle Iceman |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Five Aztecs scored in double figures, led by Amber Fouse’s 15 points, as San Diego State defeated Sacramento State, 77-68, in a non-conference women’s basketball game Saturday afternoon at the Hornet Nest.In a game that featured a combined 51 fouls, one technical foul, and four players fouling out, San Diego State took advantage of 32 Hornet turnovers to improve to 6-6. The Aztecs had been 0-4 on the road until today’s victory. Sacramento State dropped to 2-11 with the loss.
The Hornets shot 50.0 percent (22-44) from the floor, but attempted 22 less shots than San Diego State. The Aztecs shot 42.4 percent (28-66) from the floor while tallying 13 steals. Five different Aztecs recorded at least one steal, including Veronica Shaw who finished with a career-high eight.
San Diego State led the game from start to finish, as the Aztecs opened up a game-high 15-point lead (75-60) with 32 seconds to play. Joining Fouse in double figures were Ashlee Dunlap (14 points), Shaw (14 points), Jamey Cox (10 points) and Valencia Howard (10 points and a team-high seven rebounds). The Aztecs converted on 18-of-28 (.643) free throws while Sacramento State shot 75.9 percent (22-29) from the charity stripe.
The Hornets were led by Danielle Iceman’s 16 points as the junior converted on 6-of-9 shots from the floor. Despite playing with the stomach flu, junior Nichole Hardaway posted her second double-double of the season with 15 points and a game-high 13 rebounds in 31 minutes.
Freshman Sarah Craig scored in double figures for the 10th time this year as she dropped in 15 points. Junior Diane Peterson added 12 points, including two three-pointers. Sacramento State’s 32 turnovers were the team’s second-worst mark of the season as 20 of those turnovers came in the first half.
The Hornets cut the Aztecs’ lead to five points (60-55) with 5:48 to play, before a pair of free throws by Dunlap and jumpers by Fouse and Howard pushed San Diego State’s lead back to 10 points with 3:36 to play. Sacramento State would get no closer than within eight points of the lead the rest of the way.
Dunlap, Cox and Tynisha King each fouled out for San Diego State while the Hornets’ Craig fouled out in the waning moments of the game.
The Hornets have two games left on their six-game homestand as the team opens up Big Sky Conference play next week against Portland State (Thursday, Jan. 16, 7:05 p.m.) and Eastern Washington (Saturday, Jan. 18, 7:05 p.m.).
