Women’s Basketball road recap: First-year students rise to the occasion, Stubbs shines
Basketball is entering the final stretch of the season — just nine games, three more road trips and 34 days remain until the conference tournaments in Vegas. The Aggies showed signs of life on their latest road trip, but the sense of urgency surrounding the team remains palpable.
“We have to go and try to impose our will and impose our style of play that’s going to give us the best chance to win,” head coach Wesley Brooks said in practice Monday. “That’s how we practice, and that’s how we play every day.”
The team was finally able to impose their will in their Jan. 25 win against San Jose State, snapping a 16-game losing streak. They had a strong chance to secure their first winning streak of the season on Jan. 29 against Air Force, but an ice-cold third quarter led to a tough loss.
Here are some of the key takeaways from their performances in the two-game road trip.
JAN. 25: UTAH STATE BEATS SAN JOSE STATE 70-64
FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS STEPPING UP
With their floor general Cheyenne Stubbs sidelined due to injury, the first-year players had a chance to run the offense, resulting in career-best performances from two young Aggies. Guard Elise Livingston shot with confidence from inside and out, finishing with 22 points on 6-of-11 shooting and a perfect 8-of-8 at the free throw line. Forward Taliyah Logwood returned from a three-week leg injury and immediately provided hustle and energy, dropping 17 points and adding 11 rebounds. Logwood’s efforts earned her Mountain West Freshman of the Week honors, making her the only Aggie besides Carlie Latta to receive the award this season.
“[Logwood’s] a very aggressive player — a very energetic player,” Brooks said. “She can set the tone. She can set the pace. That’s her superpower.”
BATTLING ON THE BOARDS
Logwood’s presence on the glass certainly played a role in Utah State’s improved rebound performance. Their 44 rebounds were the fourth-best mark of the season and their best showing in two months. Forward Jamisyn Heaton recorded nine rebounds of her own, along with 10 points and four assists, with those assists coming primarily from kickouts off offensive rebounds.
Center Sophie Sene upped her physicality inside as well, grabbing six rebounds in only 20 minutes of play. With Sene, Heaton and Logwood controlling the paint all game, Brooks is starting to envision a lineup that can improve the team’s rebounding despite their lack of size.
“If you play Taliyah, Jameson and Sophie, that’s our best rebounding lineup,” Brooks said. “Those three can rebound really well.”
JAN. 29: UTAH STATE FALLS TO AIR FORCE 78-66
MENTAL LAPSES
The first half tipped off in Colorado Springs, and the Aggies came out looking like a team energized by their recent win. Their press ignited a slew of Air Force turnovers, their offense was quick and decisive and the rebounds were piling up.
However, they had a nightmare of a third quarter. The Falcons began a press of their own, and the Aggies launched desperation attempts with just five seconds remaining on the shot clock seemingly every possession.
Utah State shot an abysmal 2-of-17 in that third quarter, including a stretch in which they missed 13 shots in a row. Brooks struggled to understand how his team fell into such a funk after controlling the tempo for most of the game.
“You score six points in the third quarter, but then you explode for 29 in the fourth,” Brooks said. “How does that happen? Mentally, they have to get themselves ready to play, and we have to help them with that.”
A REJUVENATED STUBBS
While her teammates struggled to score, Stubbs returned to the lineup in style, pouring in 21 points and hitting four three-pointers. It was her second consecutive game with over 20 points, and she appeared to have recovered from a midseason slump during which she couldn’t seem to buy a bucket.
Brooks has said for weeks he wanted his lead guard Stubbs to become a more efficient scorer, and having her play off-ball on offense has been the formula in facilitating that.
“That’s what we’ve been preaching to her,” Brooks said. “We want her to go pro, so those are the kinds of things that she needed to do to help her get to that next level.”
In her eight games against Mountain West opponents, Stubbs has averaged 19 points per game, ranking third in the conference. While she’s used to operating with the ball in her hands, Stubbs has come to appreciate the value of her new offensive role.
“When I’m off the ball, people have to account for me moving so much,” Stubbs said. “I’m getting backdoor cuts, and my teammates are finding me. I think it creates more for us, and we can get more wide-open looks.”
LOOKING AHEAD
The Aggies are returning home to the Spectrum to face the UNLV Rebels, far and away the best team in the conference thus far. The Rebels rank number one on both offense and defense in conference matchups and are beating their opponents by an average of 14 points a game. When Stubbs was asked what it would take to pull off the improbable upset, the confident guard snuck a smirk but didn’t mince her words.
“We need a full 40 minutes of being competitive,” Stubbs said. “You got to bring everything that you have that game and empty out the tank. That’s all I’m saying. Really compete.”