Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
<li>San Jose State
Women's Hoops Downs San Jose State 72-60
3/4/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 4, 2004
SAN JOSE- Fresno State received a game-high 23 points from junior Aritta Lane (Aiea, Hawaii) and benefited from a stifling pressure defense in a 72-60 win over San Jose State on Thursday night.Fresno State improves to 12-15 overall and 6-11 in WAC play. San Jose State falls to 14-12 overall and 6-11 in WAC action. A victory over Hawai'i in Saturday's regular season finale will give Fresno State the No. 6 seed in next week's WAC Tournament.
Fresno State shot just 38.1-percent overall in the contest compared to San Jose State's 38.6-percent clip. The difference came from beyond the arc, where the Bulldogs converted on 9-19 chances. The Spartans were 1-10. San Jose State held the rebounding edge at 40-34.
"I'm extremely proud of the way our team played tonight, knowing that we had to win a tough game on the road to have any shot at the No. 6 seed (in next week's WAC Tournament)," said head coach Stacy Johnson-Klein. "Aritta was just huge for us tonight and I thought we our freshmen really contributed some valuable minutes."
Junior Veronica Mack (Phoenix, Ariz.) added 14 points, nine coming off three-pointers. Freshman Chantella Perera (Wantirna, Victoria, Australia) chipped in with 10. Freshman Jasmine Plummer (Sacramento, Calif.) added seven points and seven rebounds. San Jose State was led by Tatiana Taylor's 14 points and 10 boards.
Fresno State improved to 12-2 against California schools under Johnson-Klein.
Despite misfiring on 15 of their first 18 shots, the Bulldogs took a 26-24 lead into the break. Both teams struggled from the field in the opening period, with Fresno State shooting 27.3-percent and San Jose State hitting for 30.8-percent.
Four ties occurred during the first 14 minutes of play until Fresno State embarked on an 8-0 scoring run to take a 22-14 lead with 4:13 remaining. One of three three-pointers from Mack capped the run.
San Jose State responded with an 8-0 run of its own, tying the game at 22-22 following two free throws from Erica McGlaston.
The Spartans took a brief lead at 24-22, only to see the 'Dogs score the final four points of the half and take a 26-24 lead.
As cold as Fresno State began the first half, it started lights-out in the second. The Bulldogs rattled off an 11-0 run to go up 37-24 with 15:34 on the clock. Eight points from Lane- including two three-pointers- highlighted the stretch.
"I was able to convert on some open shots in the second half," said Lane. "I felt like I really had to step up after a bad first half. Once I knocked down a few shots, I got into the flow of the game."
San Jose State managed to cut the lead down to nine points on five different occasions over the next 10 minutes, but Fresno State answered each time.
Two free throws from freshman Brittani Green (Dallas, Texas) gave the Bulldogs a 55-42 edge with 6:50 remaining in regulation.
San Jose State cut the lead to eight points late in the game, but Fresno State hit free throws to ice the win.
San Jose State played the game without senior guard and leading scorer Cricket Williams, who was out with an ankle injury.
Fresno State faces Hawai'i in the regular season finale on Saturday at 9 p.m. PST in Honolulu.
