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The University of Utah Athletics
Thursday, January 14
Salt Lake City, UT
TBA
University of Utah
74
vs
60
San Diego St
Utes Get First WAC Win over San Diego State
6/21/1999 12:00 AM | Women's Basketball
January 15, 1999
SALT LAKE CITY - Utah rebounded from cold shooting in back-to-back losses shoot 60 percent from the field and defeat San Diego State, 74-60, on Thursday night at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. It was Utah's first win in Western Athletic Conference play.
Playing without their leading scorer Erin Gibbons, who is out indefinitely with a pulled groin, the Utes used a balanced offensive attack. Three Utes scored in double figures with Lori Red' 19-point performance leading the way. Red shot 7-for-11 from the field and had a 3-for-4 night from three-point range. Red also pulled down four boards and had two assists and two steals in 31 minutes.
Kristina Andersen had 12 points - making 7-of-8 free throwsand a team-best six rebounds. Kristi Rose had 11 points and seven blocked shots (two off her school record). Tiana Fuertes made just one turnover in the second half and had 10 assists and six points in 30 minutes. Amy Ewert, getting her first career start in place of Gibbons, shot 3-for-4 from the field for six points in 25 minutes. Ewert also had a career-high four steals.
Atim Otti led the Aztecs with 10 points and had a game-high 12 rebounds, including nine offensive boards. Charley Murray, Sophie Sledge and Lee Shannon each scored nine.
Utah (10-4, 1-1 WAC) made 14-of-22 field goals and shot 54.5 percent from behind the arc (6-of-11). However, San Diego State (4-11, 1-2 WAC) owned a 37 to 30 edge on the boards and made 28 trips to the free throw line. Fortunately for the Utes, the Aztecs converted just 16 free throws (57.1%) and shot just 33.9 percent from the field.
"We rebound so poorly that we continue to get calls against us, and as a result we put people on the free throw line," said Ute head coach Elaine Elliott. "But, all I ask is that we play hard, play with emotion and play aggressively on offense to make up for the things in which we're lacking."
The Utes, who had shot a combined 34.7 percent from the field in its last two games, shot a season-best 60-percent from the field against the Aztecs.
"Our shooting made up for our poor rebounding and the number of times we put people on the free throw line," commented Elliott. "That's been the case for us when we've been successful this season. I just cross my fingers and hope that we shoot well until we get better elsewhere."
With the Utes leading 35-27 at halftime, Red drained a three-pointer from the right side of the key to ignite a 9-0 run by Utah in the first four minutes of the second half. The U. lead grew to as much as 18 points (49-31) with 13:47 to play.
San Diego State would not go peacefully into the night, however. The Aztecs got back within eight (64-56) with 3:32 remaining after Murray swished a three. Fuertes answered with a three-pointer for the Utes, who outscored SDSU 10-6 the rest of the way.
Utah hosts Hawaii, a 75-54 looser at BYU on Thursday night, Sunday at Noon in the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
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