Women win at San Jose
Utah State women’s basketball struck down an eight-game losing streak with an exciting 61-60 win over San Jose State University Thursday night.
At the conclusion of a four-game travel schedule, the Aggies finally brought home a crucial win. Senior guard Taylor Richards, one of three in double figures, banked 15 points and seven rebounds. Fellow seniors guard Jamelah Brown and forward Jenny Gross had 16 points to help secure victory.
Leadership has been an important process during the team’s 7-16 overall season record, Richards said. The seniors have been aiding in keeping the team motivated, reminding teammates of their talents and ability to bounce back, she said.
“You’ve just got to practice harder against each other,” Richards said in a postgame radio interview. “More than anything, we’ve got to stay together off the court. We’ve got to make sure that we’ve still got that team chemistry.”
Utah State snatched the lead early, but the first half remained tumultuous – the lead would change 11 times. Heading into halftime, the score stood in favor of San Jose State 31-30.
Coming out of the locker room running, the Aggies gained the lead and fought to keep it throughout the second half. In an exciting game to the finish, Brown knocked down a crucial 3-pointer, and Richards hit a free-throw shot to allow the Aggies room to keep San Jose at bay.
“We were looking for a win, and we’re going to take any one we can get,” Richards said. “It’s nice to know that we pulled through and came out with a W.”
The Aggies topped the field-goal percentages on the night with 48.8 percent on the court. Of course, San Jose gave the team a run for its money, led by freshman guard Emily Nichols, who had 15 points. The Spartans finished off the game with 35.5 percent shooting, not enough to best the Aggies.
Utah State utilized the zone defense on the Spartans, making adjustments in the game to counter the Spartan offense, head coach Raegan Pebley said. With 3-pointers and offensive rebounds from San Jose, the Aggies were forced to pull out man defense at times, she said.
“We thought San Jose was going to play with a lot more zone than they did,” Pebley said. “We talked to our team about no early threes, we’ve always got to go inside before you take a three. We definitely did a great job of getting that ball inside in the second half to (Gross).”
Hosting the University of Nevada in the Spectrum on Feb. 21 is up next for the Aggies. Looking to hold on to momentum, the Aggies remain at 3-8 in the Western Athletic Conference.
“We’ll give our kids a couple days off to get, academically, back in to the flow that they need to,” Pebley said. “When you travel, you also miss opportunities in the weight room, and that’s an issue. We’re going to maximize this opportunity where we get to really prepare.”
-erin.wadsworth@aggiemail.usu.edu