March 3, 2015
Boise, Idaho - In a scenario which has become all to familiar for the San José State women's basketball team in 2014-15, it played poorly in the first half and then rebounded to come back on its opponent in the second half. On Tuesday evening, at Boise State, the Spartans dug themselves a 20-point halftime hole, which they couldn't overcome in a 91-76 loss.
The Broncos (19-9, 11-6 MW) got out to a 7-0 lead in the first three minutes and never looked back. For the half, they shot 40 percent (17-of-42) from the floor, 46 percent from three-point range (6-of-13) and dominated the boards to the tune of a 37-to-15 advantage. It was an advantage they would maintain throughout the game and finished by out rebounding SJSU 55-to-32.
Shalen Shaw scored 10 of her team-high 18 points in the first half for Boise State and finished the game with 13 rebounds as well. Deanna Weaver was the only other Bronco in double figures, 16 points, but they got offensive production from 12 of the 14 players who saw action.
San José State (12-16, 6-11 MW) made just 26 percent (10-of-38) of its shot attempts in the first 20 minutes and was 5-of-18 (27 percent) from beyond the arc. The teams went to the locker rooms with the Broncos up, 48-28.
In the second half, Boise State built a 31-point lead, 72-41, with 10:36 to play. From there Ta'Rea Cunnigan asserted herself and scored 14 of her game-high 19 points in the final eight minutes. With 1,977-career points, Cunnigan is well within striking distance of the 2,000-career point plateau.
Following a Chereese Thomas jumper, Spartans trimmed the Boise State lead to 14 points, 88-74. But with 35 seconds left in the game it would be as close as they would get in the 15-point loss.
SJSU shot 50 percent (18-of-36) in the second half and finished the game at 38 percent, but Boise State stayed hot the entire 40 minutes and ended up hitting 47 percent from the floor (33-of-77).
Riana Byrd led San José State with seven rebounds and also had a pair of blocked shots. She is three blocks from tying Elinor Banks for the career-blocked shot record (156), which Banks set from 1978-81.
The Spartans wrap up regular season action on Friday in Las Vegas against the UNLV Rebels. Tip off in Cox Pavilion is set for 5:00 p.m.
San Jose State vs Boise State
03/03/15 7:10 p.m. at Boise, Idaho (Taco Bell Arena)
At Boise, Idaho (Taco Bell Arena)
BOISE STATE 91, SAN JOSE STATE 76
SAN JOSE STATE (12-16, 6-11 MW)
Cunnigan, Ta'Rea 7-15 4-8 19; Woodberry, Rebecca 3-10 0-0 9; West, Rachol
2-8 3-3 8; Baker, Aniya 3-8 0-0 8; Thomas, Chereese 3-6 2-2 8; Byrd, Riana
3-7 0-0 6; Baird, Paris 2-3 0-0 5; Harris, Nyre 2-7 0-0 4; Smith, Jasmine
1-3 1-2 3; Vann, Emily 1-3 0-0 3; Bettencourt, Ali 1-4 0-0 3. Totals 28-74
10-15 76.
BOISE STATE (19-9, 11-6 MW)
SHAW, Shalen 9-13 0-0 18; WEAVER, Deanna 5-8 2-2 16; RODRIGUEZ, Yaiza 3-7
2-2 9; REINHART, Kayla 3-8 0-0 9; REDMON, Camille 3-11 2-2 8; PAHUKOA,
Brooke 3-8 0-0 6; ENGEL, Keiahnna 2-5 2-2 6; CHILDRESS, Tonishia 2-3 0-0 5;
McDAVIS, Kenna 2-2 0-0 5; ASKEW, Miquelle 2-7 0-0 4; LAIRD, Hailey 1-1 0-0
3; DUFURRENA, Julia 1-2 0-0 2; PAHUKOA, Brittney 0-1 0-0 0; POTEET, Kinzi
0-1 0-0 0. Totals 36-77 8-8 91.
San Jose State................ 28 48 - 76
Boise State................... 48 43 - 91
3-point goals--San Jose State 10-31 (Woodberry, Rebecca 3-7; Baker, Aniya
2-7; West, Rachol 1-4; Bettencourt, Ali 1-4; Vann, Emily 1-3; Baird, Paris
1-1; Cunnigan, Ta'Rea 1-3; Harris, Nyre 0-1; Thomas, Chereese 0-1), Boise
State 11-23 (WEAVER, Deanna 4-5; REINHART, Kayla 3-6; CHILDRESS, Tonishia
1-2; McDAVIS, Kenna 1-1; LAIRD, Hailey 1-1; RODRIGUEZ, Yaiza 1-2; ENGEL,
Keiahnna 0-1; PAHUKOA, Brooke 0-3; SHAW, Shalen 0-2). Fouled out--San Jose
State-None, Boise State-None. Rebounds--San Jose State 32 (Byrd, Riana 7),
Boise State 55 (SHAW, Shalen 13). Assists--San Jose State 16 (Baker, Aniya
4), Boise State 24 (RODRIGUEZ, Yaiza 8). Total fouls--San Jose State 9,
Boise State 13. Technical fouls--San Jose State-None, Boise State-None.
A-789