For a program looking for any glimmer of hope, here is somethingto consider: The San Diego State women’s basketball team’s latest offive consecutive losses deviated from the norm.
For one thing, Saturday’s 69-60 loss to Colorado State was a closegame played against the No. 15 team in the nation. What’s more, SDSU(9-14, 1-9) reached the 60-point plateau for the first time in 10games.
So, while it may be flickering off in the distance, the glimmer isthere.
“(The improvement) is in our scoring,” forward Atim Otii said.”Saturday we scored 60, so we’re coming back. Our defense has beenthere.
“It’sjust our offense that’s been lacking.”
And this weekend, with its faint hopes of resurrecting its season,continuation of this subtle improvement in the Aztecs game will benecessary.
Going for the sweep
While SDSU’s matchup with Air Force in Colorado Springs, Colo.,today at 5 p.m., may be a matchup of the seventh and eighth placeteams in the conference, respectively, it is a huge game for theAztecs. For SDSU, it is the best chance for a win on its remainingschedule.
“We need to beat Air Force,” Otii said. “That’s a crucial win thatwe need. They play hard all the time, nonstop. We’re just going tohave to go in there focused.”
This will certainly need to be the case. Under its fiery new coachArdie McInelly, Air Force is not the Mountain West Conferencepushover it once was.
Case in point: In their last meeting, SDSU squeaked by the Falconsat Cox, 58-50 – a team the Aztecs had boat-raced 57-30 in2001.
“Ardie is very intense, and she’s done a great job,” Smith said.”She’ll have them ready to go. I think they’re playing with a lotmore intensity and confidence than they did last year.”
The intensity can certainly be attributed to McInelly’s style. Inthe Falcons’ visit to Cox, the first-year coach’s rants were audiblein the upper reaches of the arena.
But improvement in the Air Force record has not been as apparent.After three wins last year, the Falcons currently sit at 4-19 and arestill looking for their first MWC win.
Hostile environment
To call playing in the Pit an uncomfortable situation would be anunderstatement.
SDSU, like most women’s hoops teams, is used to playing in frontof sparse crowds in large arenas. But while the New Mexico venue maybe large, the crowd will by no means be sparse when the Aztecs cometo Albuquerque Saturday for a noon matchup with the Lobos.
Women’s crowds at the Pit have been known to exceed 8,000.
“I don’t think it’s easy to play in the Pit, but it’s a greatbasketball environment,” Smith said. “I think they’ll embrace it.”
Revenge may also be a factor. On Jan. 23, New Mexico downed SDSUat Cox, 58-49.
Said Otii: “As far as New Mexico is concerned, we owe them backfor what they did to us on our home court.”
