Lady Ags get OT victory
An exciting overtime win over New Mexico State University 70-67 brings the lady Aggies to 7-6 in their Western Athletic Conference season.
Junior guard Taylor Richards produced 19 points, hitting two three pointers and aiding her team with four defensive rebounds. It was her fellow guard, senior Camille Brox that turned up the heat under New Mexico’s feet, pulling dow six rebounds and nine points she became a major asset in her 34 minutes of playing time.
First half started out a bit slow, with both teams attempting to stay on top. Junior guard for New Mexico, Sherell Neal pulled off the first basket of the night and continued on to bank 28 points and 19 rebounds against USU. Neal was the lone player for New Mexico to make it to double figures. By the time half-time came USU had made their way to a 28-27 lead.
“It was very, very physical,” Head Coach Raegan Pebley said. ” I think it was just a difficult game for both teams to feel like they were in a groove, and I was just really proud of our team that we just fought through that and we stayed focused.”
Pebley had a huge advantage in her bench players. Sophomore forward Lindsey Freeze made her presence known with her six points and five rebounds made at key moments in the game. Both sophomore guard Ana Pares and junior forward Jamelah Brown offered their own version of stepping it up with their reinforcing rebounds and a huge three pointer by Brown.
“We were having a hard time scoring,” Pebley said. “And having a hard time stopping them. It was going to be cut-throat, they have kids that really want to step up and win games. I was really proud that our team won the game.”
New Mexico’s physical playing style really started to grow in the second half. With senior forward Brittany Phillips in foul trouble early on she was forced to remain on the sidelines for a while.
Phillips concluded the game with 15 points and seven rebounds.
Richards was taken out of the game late in the closing half with her five fouls, she went to the bench not happy with the last foul call made on her, Richards said. After Richards retired to the side lines the team brought their energy up to another level to keep up with the fast pace of the game.
“It was a team effort,” Brox said. “Everybody came in a focused when Taylor fouled out we never missed a beat, it felt great to win the game.”
USU now stands at 11-14 in their overall season, well ahead of last season’s total of 3-24. The Aggies of New Mexico have been sent home with their 10-15 season total and fall to 5-8 in the WAC.
Louisiana Tech University pays a visit to USU on Saturday, this is the second match up the Aggies have had with the Lady Techsters. During their time in Ruston, Louisiana USU suffered a 69-54 defeat.
The Lady Techsters are ranked second in the Western Athletic Conference standings, just below Boise State University. They also boasts senior forward Ty Moore who has had 12 double-double while playing in the WAC this season.
Moore was also chosen as Player of the Year in a pre-season media poll. Against the Aggies the Lady Techsters had three players post double figures in scoring and two players pull down over 10 rebounds. Eboni Mangum led her team with 13 baskets, while Moore had 14 rebounds.
USU came out of the game with three players in double digits, Richards led with 12 and junior forward Jenny Gross along with Phillips had 12 points.
In the end it wasn’t enough to defeat the Lady Techsters on their own turf, but it’s time for them to taste some of what the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum has to offer.
Three Aggies seniors will be playing their last game at home against the Lady Techsters. Forward Brittany Hagen, Phillips and Brox will take their court for the final time on Senior’s Night in the Spectrum.
This is the first group of seniors that have been in the program starting as freshmen since the women’s basketball program was brought back in 2003.
-eawads@cc.usu.edu