The San Diego State women’s basketball team defeated the Utah State University Aggies by a final score of 88-72 on Saturday, marking the team’s fourth win in its last five games.

Despite being statistically outshot in the second half, the Aztecs managed to keep grinding and regained a double-digit lead after the Aggies made a run to put themselves within 10 points of the Aztecs at the midpoint of the second half.

With 10:04 left in the game, senior guard Danesha Long was fouled and sank two crucial free throws to give the Aztecs a 9-point lead. Less than two minutes later, freshman guard Ariell Bostick recovered a Utah State drop and passed the ball to senior center Cierra Warren, who converted a layup for two points. Warren finished the game with 20 points and seven total rebounds in 27 minutes on the court.

With momentum on their side, the Aztecs continued to pressure the Aggies on offense and defense. Bostick dribbled the ball to the Aggie side of the court and spun through the middle of the Utah State defense, scoring on a layup and drawing a foul. She converted on the following free throw and finished the game with 18 points, two rebounds and two steals.

[quote]”I just fed off my teammates,” Bostick said after the game. “As coach keeps saying, ‘You can’t be a freshman anymore,’ so I’m just trying to step up as a leader and I’m growing every day.”[/quote]

Bostick attributed her explosive offensive performance against the Aggies to her getting more shots in at practice.

“I also let my defense help my offensive game,” Bostick said. “If I can lock down a player on defense, I know they can’t lock me up on the offensive end and it’s pushing me to be a better point guard.”

Head coach Stacie Terry had plenty of good things to say about Bostick emerging as a leader on the team.

[quote]”We kind of go as she goes, and it’s a lot of responsibility to have as a freshman and we talk about it every single day,” Terry said after the game. “When she has really managed the game—and her scoring is wonderful, but I’m not really looking at that—her assist-to-turnover ratio has improved. I’m most proud of her because she’s learning to be a point guard.”[/quote]

The Aztecs opened the game by winning the tipoff and scoring quickly thereafter on a jumper by Warren. After eight early lead changes, SDSU regained a lead it wouldn’t give up for the rest of the game after a long three-point shot from junior forward Chairese “Desi” Culberson. SDSU’s explosive offense and a sloppy first half from Utah State combined for a 47-27 Aztec lead at halftime.

Photo by Wesley Beights, Staff Photographer