Dec. 30, 2005
Box Score
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Guard Veronica Shaw scored 14 points and host San Diego State hit eight three-pointers on Friday night as the Aztecs avenged a loss earlier this season to UC Davis with a 59-45 nonconference women's basketball win in the consolation game of the Surf N' Slam Classic at Cox Arena.
UC Davis lost its second consecutive game and is 5-7 heading into Monday's home matchup against Long Beach State. San Diego State, which lost to the Aggies 58-36 on Dec. 3 at The Pavilion, improved to 2-3. Guard Jackie Turpin led UC Davis with 15 points while post Lara Gray had 13. Turpin was named to the all-tournament team.
The Aggies shot a season-low 31.9 percent from the field, including making just three of 13 three-point attempts. San Diego State benefitted from eight three-pointers, including three each from guard Kate Eveland and Shanna Demus.
UC Davis led just once in the game and trailed 33-22 early in the second half before rallying to within three points at 38-35 with 9:49 to play. However, a 15-5 run by the Aztecs put them up by 13 points with less than three minutes to play and UC Davis wasn't able to threaten the rest of the way.
"San Diego State played very well all game," said Aggie coach Sandy Simpson. "They pressured us and we backed off. We were back on our heels offensively, I think, the entire game."
San Diego State led 10-3 just over five minutes into the game before a 7-0 surge by UC Davis tied the game 10-10 with 11:13 left in the half. The game was tied two more times before the Aggies were able to manage their only lead, that coming 20-18 at the 5:16 mark after Turpin made a pair of free throws.
Demus and Shaw, however, each hit three-pointers, which were sandwiched around a basket by Michelle Strawberry as the Aztecs forged a 26-22 halftime lead. UC Davis shot just 36.8 percent from the field in the first half and picked up its lone three-pointer from Gray.
San Diego State scored the first seven points of the second half and took a 33-22 lead with 16:18 to play. Turpin, though, scored six points, guard Kimberly Smith had five and Gray added two as UC Davis closed to within three-points at 38-35 midway through half. San Diego State's 15-5 run, however, helped the Aztecs reassert control.
UC Davis was outrebounded 37-27 in the game with Turpin grabbing a team-high seven boards. Desiree Johnson had a game-high 10 rebounds to pace the Aztecs, who also received 12 points from Strawberry and 11 from Demus.
The Aggies finished 12 of 12 from the line, pushing their season's average to 83.8 percent, tops in the NCAA Division I stat rankings.
Joining Turpin on the all-tournament were Veronica Shaw (San Diego State), Lauren Troupe (Loyola), Michelle Strawberry (San Diego State), Nitasha Brown (Auburn) and tournament MVP DeWanna Bonner (Auburn).
Auburn, which beat UC Davis on Wednesday, won the tournament title on Friday with a 76-54 win over Loyola (Md.).
UC Davis returns to action on Monday with its 7 p.m. matchup against Long Beach State. UC Davis' remaining games this season are all against Big West Conference competition.
