Jan. 18, 2014
San Jose, Calif. - In one of the most entertaining games of the season, the San José State women's basketball team defeated the Wyoming Cowgirls 74-68 on Saturday afternoon to complete a two-home game, Mountain West Conference sweep on Walt McPherson Court.
The Spartans (8-9, 2-4 MW) got a game high 27 points from junior Ta'Rea Cunnigan, who was 12-for-13 from the free throw line. The 12 free throws are a season-high and one shy of her career best. In the last two games, both Spartan victories, Cunnigan is 20-for-26 from the line, 15-for-39 from the field and 5-for-12 from 3-point range. She has averaged 27.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.0 blocks over that stretch.
Riana Byrd, a sophomore from Richmond, Calif., scored 16 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to go along with six steals. She was an efficient 8-for-14 shooting and was a big contributor to the Spartans 28-to-20 advantage on points in the paint
Hitting 4-of-8, including three of her six 3-point attempts, freshman Britta Hall had a season best 13 points. Jasmine Smith, another freshman, led the team with four assists and added seven points and eight boards.
The first 20 minutes was a back and forth affair with the score tied five time, six lead changes and neither team able to establish more than a five point advantage. Kayla Woodward, who led Wyoming (11-3, 2-2 MW) with 24 points and 14 rebounds, scored 19 in the first half, including five 3-pointers
The Cowgirls took a 35-32 lead into the half on a Kaitlyn Mileto 3-pointer with four second left. Of Wyoming's 13 buckets in the first half, eight came from behind the arc. Woodward's five and Mileto, who finished with 16 points, had the other three.
After the score was tied for the ninth time in the game, 65-65 with 3:26 to play, Smith put the Spartans ahead to stay with a layup at 2:35 to go. Jayzyl Tauala hit a jumper on the Spartans next possession to extend the advantage to 69-65 with 1:43 to play.
Woodward sank a free throw to cut the lead to three points, 69-66 at the 1:27 mark, but down the stretch, the Spartans made five of six free throws. Cunnigan sank three of her final four attempts and Tauala sealed the win on a pair with 16 seconds to go. For the game San José State was 17-for-19 (.895) from the line, their best effort of the season.
The Spartans return to action on Wednesday January 21 in San Diego, Calif. San José State faces the San Diego State Aztecs in Viejas Arena with tipoff set for 6:00 p.m.
Wyoming vs San Jose State
01/18/14 2:00 p.m. at San Jose, Calif. (The Event Center)
At San Jose, Calif. (The Event Center)
SAN JOSE STATE 74, WYOMING 68
WYOMING (11-3, 2-2 MW)
WOODWARD, Kayla 9-22 1-4 24; MILETO, Kaitlyn 4-15 5-6 16; LEWIS, Fallon 5-12
1-2 12; SIBREL, Jordan 3-4 0-0 6; LANDRY, Chelan 2-4 2-3 6; RADER, Kaylie
2-4 0-0 4; HOFFMAN, Kaylee 0-1 0-0 0; DENT, Marquelle 0-5 0-0 0. Totals
25-67 9-15 68.
SAN JOSE STATE (8-9, 2-4 MW)
Cunnigan, Ta'Rea 6-17 12-13 27; Byrd, Riana 8-14 0-0 16; Hall, Britta 4-8
2-2 13; Smith, Jasmine 3-9 1-2 7; James, Classye 2-6 0-0 5; Tauala, Jayzyl
1-2 2-2 4; West, Rachol 1-2 0-0 2; Baird, Paris 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-59
17-19 74.
Wyoming....................... 35 33 - 68
San Jose State................ 32 42 - 74
3-point goals--Wyoming 9-32 (WOODWARD, Kayla 5-12; MILETO, Kaitlyn 3-12;
LEWIS, Fallon 1-6; DENT, Marquelle 0-2), San Jose State 7-17 (Hall, Britta
3-6; Cunnigan, Ta'Rea 3-6; James, Classye 1-2; Tauala, Jayzyl 0-1; WEST,
Rachol 0-1; Baird, Paris 0-1). Fouled out--Wyoming-None, San Jose
State-None. Rebounds--Wyoming 42 (WOODWARD, Kayla 14), San Jose State 39
(Byrd, Riana 10). Assists--Wyoming 17 (LANDRY, Chelan 7), San Jose State 11
(Smith, Jasmine 4). Total fouls--Wyoming 14, San Jose State 18. Technical
fouls--Wyoming-None, San Jose State-None. A-362