High-scoring first half gives Ags win
Taking in their second win of Western Athletic Conference play, the lady Aggies beat the Idaho Vandal’s 78-70 at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum Thursday evening.
Senior forward Brittany Hagen led off the first half point run with a 3-pointer. This was just the beginning of the Aggies’ 43 points during the opening half, the most points scored in a first half the entire season.
“We just needed to execute our plays and focus on what we do,” junior forward Jenny Gross said. “It was just a great team effort, I mean, the point guards helped open things up by driving and our 3-point shooters were making their shots outside. Overall everyone was scoring.”
Half time came with USU leading 43-27, scoring 18 of those baskets in the first four minutes of game play. Nine players contributed shots in the initial half; by the end of the game three players would be in double digits.
Gross managed a career-high 18 points and a double-double for the game. Senior forward Brittany Phillips also brought in a career-high with her 20-point contribution. The third player in double figures was WAC Player of the Week, junior guard Taylor Richards with 12 points.
“Being on our home court and with our home court fans and stuff, that helps a lot,” Phillips said, “Just shooting all the baskets that we shoot on every day in practice, that helps so much.”
Being at home in the Spectrum felt good for the whole team, Pebley said. Though the women do well on this court they need to remember that even though they travel and play in other arenas, the court is the same length and the basket is the same height, she said.
Idaho worked their way back into the game in the second half by narrowing the gap to eight with 8:38 on the clock and had pushed it to two by 6:29. With a little defensive finagling, the Aggies managed to hang on to the lead, coasting to a victory with the ball-in-hand at the final buzzer.
“I think we just didn’t have as much intensity as they did,” Pebley said. “We have to learn how to handle success. Whether that’s game-to-game, half-to-half, media time out to next media and just be able to handle it and know really what that means.”
With two wins in conference play heading into their Jan. 15 game against Louisiana Tech, the Aggies are looking forward to the challenge. Remaining consistent in their way of playing is confidence building, Pebley said.
“We have to look for our game plan,” Pebley said, “and see how we can maximize our strength and minimize our weaknesses, and maximize their weaknesses and minimize their strengths.”
Following their journey to Ruston, La., the Aggies will return home to face off against San Jose State before heading off to Boise, Idaho and the Broncos of Boise State.
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