They say everything is bigger in Texas, but the one thing the San Diego State women’s basketball team wanted to get bigger was an impressive 13-game winning streak, which came to an abrupt end on Saturday.
In one of its worst offensive performances of the season, SDSU (17-5, 7-1 MW) was defeated by Texas Christian University 58-39 in Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.
SDSU could not get any offensive rhythm going, shooting 15-of-64 from the field and had no players score in double figures.
TCU (12-11, 5-3 MW) is known for its defense, ranking first in the conference in both 3-point percentage defense and field-goal percentage defense, but SDSU simply could not get its shots to fall.
“You live by the jump shot, you die by the jump shot,” SDSU head coach Beth Burns said. “But you reap what you sow and unfortunately we had to experience this.”
Through the first 10 minutes of the game, the two teams were shooting miserably, combining for a field goal percentage of 19.2 (5-26).
TCU went to various zone defensive schemes after SDSU failed to impress with its poor shooting display. Still, the Aztecs managed to head into the half ahead 20-18.
The Horned Frogs leaped ahead to start the second half, beginning with a 6-0 run right out of the tunnel to take a 24-20 lead.
The score was tied at 28-28 with 14:39 left in the game, and TCU took control while SDSU continued to miss long-range shots and numerous layups, giving up an 11-1 run.
“They came out with a little bit more intensity than us,” junior guard Chelsea Hopkins said. “I don’t feel like TCU did anything to waiver us; their pressure didn’t make us force shots or anything, we just could not put the ball in the basket.”
The game went out of reach as TCU guard Briesha Wynn extended the SDSU deficit to 16 points with 3:49 remaining. Wynn was the only player to score in double figures, leading her team with 16 points and four rebounds in just 18 minutes of play.
Even though SDSU took 19 more shots than TCU, it didn’t make much of difference because hardly any of them produced points, especially from beyond the arc. SDSU missed every single one of its 17 3-point attempts.
The Aztecs’ second-leading scorer sophomore guard Kiyana Stamps went 0-15 from the field, while MW leading scorer, junior guard Courtney Clements, scored just four points.
SDSU will return home to avenge this loss against UNLV at 2 p.m. this Saturday in Viejas Arena.
“We have to eat (the loss) for a week long,” Burns said. “We’ll get a little rest, we’ll get back at it and we’ll find out what we’re really made of on Saturday.”
