Glenn Connelly / Photo Editor

There are a number of memories that the three seniors on the San Diego State women’s basketball team have had during their time on Montezuma Mesa.

Senior guards Kim Spinardi, Jené Morris and Quenese Davis all played a role in leading SDSU to an undefeated record at home last season, followed by a share of the Mountain West Conference regular season title and even a trip to the NCAA Tournament, where the Aztecs defeated DePaul in the first round.

On Saturday they added another accomplishment, with an 87-52 blowout against Air Force in front of their families on Senior Day.

“We went out on top with a win,” Morris said. “And that’s the way we wanted to go out.”

For head coach Beth Burns, their departure brings back memories of the first time she met them. Burns’ first meeting with Davis was in a living room with her family and her new puppies all around. Burns recalls Davis’ father’s concern about all the guards that were on SDSU’s roster.

“Coach you got a lot of guards,” Burns remembers him saying.

But a simple, “Trust me,” and a stern look, implying “Q’ would be a focal point of Burns’ team, proved to be enough to make Davis an Aztec.

Morris, on the other hand, didn’t join SDSU right after high school.

The first time Burns met the future star was when she picked up Morris and her mother at the airport. They eventually sat down to discuss Morris becoming an Aztec and it wasn’t long before a decision was made.

“She’s coming,” Morris’ mother told Burns. “It’s August, we’ve got to get the papers done.”
Morris officially joined SDSU in mid-August of 2006 and the Aztecs suddenly had one of the most formidable pair of guards in the MWC.

And in their time at SDSU, both have left a legacy that will not be forgotten.

One of the most memorable plays by Davis was during the 2007-2008 semifinals of the MWC Tournament, when she inbounded the ball off a TCU player and scored the go-ahead basket to give the Aztecs a big win against the second-seeded Horned Frogs.

Morris will be remembered for many aspects of her game, but her steal and layup en route to a career-high 35 points against DePaul in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament is sure to be at the top of the list.

“(Davis’) passing and thinking and what (Morris) does reading kind of epitomizes what they’ve done on the basketball court,” Burns said. “The one thing that we’ve yet to do is turn (Viejas Arena) into the house of horrors that we’ve been able to do on the guy’s side, but (Davis and Morris have) laid the foundation for that. And for people who haven’t seen them play, they’ve missed the boat. They’re going to have to wait until the next level to watch that.”

But the fans in attendance on Saturday were able to see the duo play one last time.
They didn’t disappoint, as Morris and Davis combined for 40 points, eight steals and eight assists. Fans also saw Spinardi make her first career start in her four years at SDSU. In 23 minutes, she hit a 3-pointer, dished out three assists and picked off a steal.

With the regular season complete, the Aztecs now prepare for the MWC Tournament.
SDSU has the third seed and therefore a bye into the quarterfinals. The Aztecs will play the winner of the Wyoming-UNLV game at 7 p.m. PT on Wednesday at the Thomas Mack Center in Las Vegas.